Nigerian observer 25 06 2013

1 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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2013 LAW WEEK: Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and Mr. Joe-Kyrari Gadzama (SAN),keynote Speaker at the 2013 Law Week of the Nigerian Bar Association, Benin Branch yesterday.Photo: CHARITY OZIGBO-ESERE.

PUBLISHED SINCE MAY 29, 1968 • Vol. 38 • NO.261 • TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013 • N100.00

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PoliticalPoliticalPoliticalPoliticalPoliticalGovernance inGovernance inGovernance inGovernance inGovernance in

Edo StateEdo StateEdo StateEdo StateEdo State1999 till date1999 till date1999 till date1999 till date1999 till date

Page 27OPINION

Pages 16-17PERSPECTIVE

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The Nigerian

STOP OIL BUNKERINGPeople of Edo State,Government has discoveredthat inspite of measures takenby security agents in the Stateto stop illegal oil bunkering,perpetrators of this shadybusiness have continued un-abated.The State Government iswarning all those still involvedin oil bunkering in the State to,in their own interest, stop thisshady and dubious businessforthwith as stiffer penaltiesawait them.Any person or group of personscaught in the illegal businesswill be dealt with according tothe law.All vehicles and equipmentused will be burnt.Be patriotic, report any personsuspected to be in the businessof oil bunkering to the authori-ties concerned.Join Government to rid theState of enemies of progress.Edo State must continue toThis message is from the Edo State

Ministry of Informationand Orientation

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Oshiomhole faultsNBAPresident

Banning Governors’ Forum

Accord Okao of Ughoton hisentitlements, EDHA urges Oil Coy, Council

Benin Catholic Priests backArchbishop Akubeze

Nigeria Deports 414 illegalimmigrants

Edo LG Election Tribunalstrikes out two PDP petitions

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BENIN CITY - Governor Adams Oshiomhole ofEdo state has faulted the call by the President ofthe Nigeria Bar Association, Mr. Okey Wali (SAN),for the proscription of the Nigeria Governors’Forum saying the call negates the provision ofthe constitution on Freedom of Association.

While declaring openthe 2013 Law Week ofthe NBA, Benin Branchyesterday, the Governor

said: “recently I watchedthe President of the NBA,saying in Yenogoa,Beyelsa State, that the

Governors’ Forum shouldbe discarded. I think thefactor of locationinfluenced his

conclusion. He betrayedhis oath to defendNigerians on the right toassociate.

“One of thefundamental rights ofevery person, includingGovernors, Presidents, is

the right of association. IfPresidents have the rightto African Union, toUnited Nation, to all theother formal and informalgathering, how can thePresident of a learnedcommunity suggest thatthe NGF be proscribedon account of difficulties

BENIN CITY – Theindigenous BeninCatholic Benin Priests ofthe Catholic Archdioceseof Benin City havepledged their supportand loyalty to theArchbishop of Benin City,Very Rev. Fr. AugustineObiora Akubeze and theCatholic Archdiocese ofBenin City for holdingtenaciously to the tenets

of the Catholic faith. Addressing newsmen

in Benin City yesterday,the chairman, indigenous

Catholic Benin Priests,very Rev. Fr. Felix

Igbineweka stated that

Election Petition Tribunalsitting in Benin Cityyesterday struck out twoapplications of thePeoples Democratic Party(PDP) filed against Hon.Solomon Eromosele, theChairman and a councilorin Esan Central LocalGovernment area of EdoState.

The three-man tribunalheaded by Justice DanielIyobosa Okungbowastruck out the petitionupon the applicationmoved by the petitioner’scounsel, O.M. Eboigbe.

Counsel to thePetitioner, O.M. Eboigbewho prayed the court inpetition No ED/LG/PET/2/13 to withdraw hisapplication on ground ofdefectiveness in the Suitnumber. The same issueswere raised in the otherapplication for that of the

By ROLAND OSAKUE/INNOCENT OMOAKABENIN CITY: The Edo

state local Government

BENIN CITY – Edo StateHouse of Assembly has

By KESTER OGIESEWU

By KEN ABU/WINIFRFED OSASOBO

adopted a resolutionurging, Dubri OilCompany and OviaNorth-East Local

Government Council toaccord all rights andentitlements to ChiefJoseph Ikponmwonba

Iyonmaha as the Okaoof Ughoton Communityconsequent upon the

KATSINA - TheKatsina State Command ofthe Nigeria ImmigrationService (NIS) said it hasrepatriated 414 illegalimmigrants within the last10 days.

The NIS Comptroller,Alhaji Umar Bulama, saidduring a press briefing in

Katsina that, therepatriation was carried outfrom June 12 to 23, addingthat those deported weremostly from NigerRepublic.

According to him the

bio-metric data of all thoserepatriated had beendocumented and forwardedto Immigration MobilePatrol Officers to aid intracking down anyone ofthem that may return

illegally.He said that no

immigrant would beallowed to stay in thecountry unless with validdocuments.

Bulama said thecommand was working with


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Oshiomhole faults NBA PresidentNews

Benin Catholic Priests backArchbishop Akubueze

Continued from page 1


Accord Okao of Ughoton his entitlementsContinued from page 1

Anglican Church lauds Edo Govt ondevelopment

Council Boss Tasks FRSCon Road Worthy vehicles

Edo LG Election Tribunal strikes out two PDPpetitions


Owan West renews commitmentto healthcare delivery system

SABONGIDA-ORA - TheChairman, Owan WestLocal Government Council,Hon Barr Godwin Aigbodionhas urged the Federal RoadSafety Corps (FRSC) toensure that any vehicle onNigeria road is road worthyto reduce carnages on thehighways. Barr. Aigbodion gave theadvice when the Unitcommander of FRSC Auchi,Mrs. A.A Nsobong led othermembers of the commandon a courtesy visit to hisoffice. He said when a vehicle isroad worthy there will not bebroken down vehicles andthe rate of accident on thehighways will be reducedconsiderably and assuredthe unit commander that thecouncil was ready tosynergise with FRSC for thesafety of the people. Barr. Aigbodion alsoadvised the Unitcommander that road signsare placed on strategic

whether sixteen is morethan nineteen, although he isunable to provide the answer.If we unlearned people don’tknow, the learned peopleshould know. Then if learnedpeople don’t know thatnineteen is more than sixteen,then I suggest that all of youshould be proscribed.”

Oshiomhole explained thatwhen a nation is led bycharacters who won’t stand bythe truth, then that nation isdoomed.

“I want to submit that theenvironment and the overallcircumstances known andunknown that led the NBAPresident to call for thefreezing of the right ofGovernors to associateborders on corrupt practice”,he added.

He maintained “I thoughtthat given the role of the Barin our history, if privilegedpeople like the Governorswent for an election and theyhave voted and the loser isbeing declared as the winnerand the winner is beingdeclared as the loser and NBAsays scrap it, then there is aproblem.

“Anybody who keeps quitein the face of compelling factsis not doing the nation anygood. In any case, I do notneed the Governors Forum todo what I have to do. All I needis the Edo Forum”, he said.

Oshiomhole disclosed “inEdo State, all men and womenare equal before the law andwe must demonstrate it byaction. The law must beoperated as if there are no richmen, big men or poor men.Everybody, whether corporateor individual must be seen tobe equal before the law and

the State must be seen tohave the capacity and the willto deal with anybody whooperates in an environment”

Oshiomhole argued that wecan only have an egalitariansociety “when those who areprivileged to be entrusted withthe powers of the State usethose powers judiciously.

“I think in Edo we have triedto do that and before my turnis up, I intend to do more,such that by 2016 when Iwould be out of here, it wouldbe said that when I was here,no one was too big to be dealtwith when he infringed thelaw”, he added.

The Governor reiterated hisopposition to the revenueallocation formula saying “we

must give Abuja less money”.He said Nigerians should

stop lamenting that fourteenyears after, Nigeria’sdemocracy is not delivering tothe people, saying the beautyof democracy is that thepeople have the power to hireand fire and since Nigeriansknow the party that has beenat the helm since 1999, it is intheir hands to decide if theystill want the party in power.

In a keynote addressdelivered by Mr. Joe-KyariGadzama (SAN) on the theme“Democracy and SocioEconomic Imbalance inNigeria; Rule of the Law”, hesaid Democracy has beenrated as the best system ofGovernment adding that it is

a system that allows citizensto participate directly ingovernance.

According to him “the courtshave a duty to ensure thatthere is no anarchy in the land.There is a major link betweenlaw and democracy. In thefirst place law establishesdemocracy and democracyguarantees the availability oflaw”.

The Senior Advocate ofNigeria noted “the impact ofthe economy on Nigeria isnegative. For democracy tothrive we need to have asocio-economic balance. Theaverage Nigerian does notsee himself as a Nigerian, butrather as an Hausa, Yoruba orIbo man”.

councilor, as G.E. UgokweEsq, Ken Mozia SAN and E.R.Emukpuoro Esq counsel tothe 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondentsrespectively did not however,object.

Also, in the petition No. ED/LG/PET/13/13 filed byDokpesi Abu Kenneth, theChairmanship candidate ofPDP in the April 20th localgovernment election againstHon. Suleiman Afegbua of theACN in Estako East LocalGovernment Area came up forhearing.

The Counsel to the

petitioner, A. E Mamuduprayed the court to grant hisapplication for the change ofcounsel following thewithdrawal of former counsel.

Justice Okungbowahowever granted theapplication as the motion wasnot ripe for hearing andconsequently adjourned to26th June 2013.

However, in the petitionagainst the Chairman ofEtsako West LocalGovernment Council, BarrHassan Kadiri by Labour Partycandidate, Kesley

Mohammed met a brick wallas counsel to the 3rd- 9th

defendants, E.R. Emukpuorourged the Tribunal in a motionto strike out the names ofsome of the respondents.

Meanwhile, Counsel to thepetitioner, Eki Omo- Osagie ina motion had prayed theTribunal to grant leave of the3rd respondent (EDSIEC) toallow the petitioner haveaccess to the materials usedfor the April 20th localgovernment election in Edostate.

The Tribunal Chairmanadjourned the case to 26th

June, 2013 for hearing.

the Archbishop of Benin City,His Grace, Most Rev. (Dr.)

Augustine Obiora Akubueze isa pride to the Catholic Churchand indeed the Christian

religion. Very Rev. Fr. Igbineweka whocommended the pastoralachievements of the Archbishopwithin the past two years,however, prayed for peace andunity in the Archdiocese ofBenin City. “The Church has alwaysacknowledged the manifold giftsof the people of God to beutilized in carrying out her divinemandates. However, this should be donewithin the structures andstrategies of the church withreference to the hierarchy,” hesaid. Very Rev. Fr. Felix Igbinewekaalso maintained that theCatholic Church is bound byBaptismal Commitments toproclaim Christ and promote thework of evangelization. Also, speaking in an interviewafter the press conference, thePresident of Laity Council, Sir,Humphrey Best Iriabedebunked Insinuations in somequarters that the CatholicChurch is calling for the removalof the Archbishop, adding that,Archbishop Obiora Akubezehas imparted positively in thelives of many Catholic faithfulsand have also contributed to thecreation of many parishes. “We have resolved tocooperate with him to ensuresincere and genuineevangelization with the Laity.We are with the Archbishop andwe are ready to cooperate withhim,” he added. Among those present at thepress briefing were, very Rev.Omede, Dean, IguobazuwaDeanery, very Rev. FestusOgbonmwan, Parish Priest,Gabriel the Archangel and veryRev. Fr. Patrick Osagie, Deanof Abudu Deanery.

submission of a letter of formalintroduction. The adoption of theresolution is sequel to theconsideration of the report ofthe House standingcommittee on a petition titled“Plight of Okao of Gele-gelesigned by P.I. Okao Esq”during plenary session at thecommittee of the wholeyesterday. According to the 9-pointfindings and the two pointsrecommendation of the reportof the committee, the Ijaws arepredominantly in Gele-gelecommunity with anAmaokosuwel and traditionalleaders while the Binis arepredominant in Ughotoncommunity which has anOdionwere and othertraditional leadership amongstwhom is Chief Joseph I.Iyonmaha. It further stated that Dubri OilCompany has operation in

both Ughoton and Gele-geleCommunities and thecommunities are historicallylinked to the ancient BeninKingdom which is part of theOld Benin province now EdoSouth Senatorial districtadding that the petitioner withthree others initiated a suit in1970 on behalf of UghotonCommunity against the Ijawsof Gele-gele for a declarationof title over Gele-gele land andthe suit was said to be decidedin their favour and upheld bythe Supreme Court. Furthermore, the reportreveals that His RoyalMajesty, Omo N’Oba N’EdoUku Akpolokpolo, ObaErediauwa had in 1985 vestedthe title Okao of Gele-gele onthe Petitioner which accordingto the petitioner has notreceived any officialrecognition by the Ovia North-East Local GovernmentCouncil upon the creation ofthe council from the old Ovia

Local Government Area. The committee in theirfindings further disclosed thatDubri Oil Company has somemeasure of corporate socialrelationship with the LocalLeaders of Gele-gele andUghoton Communities whichare presently in the High Courtof Benin over land dispute. Parliament while approvingthe recommendation of thecommittee submitted thatthere should not be anyinterference in the landdispute between Ughoton andGele-gele Communities assame is sub-judice. While summing updeliberations, the speaker ofthe Edo State House ofAssembly, Rt. Hon. Uyi Igbedirected the clerk of the Houseto send clean copies of theresolution to the relevantparties. Meanwhile, the Houseyesterday announced thereceipt of the report of theSenate Committee on thereview of the 1999constitution. The report of the SenateCommittee on the review ofthe 1999 constitution wascontained in a letter signed bySenator Ike Ekweremadu, TheDeputy Senate President andchairman of the 1999constitution review committee. The House also observed aminute of silence for therepose of the souls of SEn.Albert Lagogie whorepresented Edo NorthSenatorial District at the UpperChambers and Pastor FrancisShaibu, the Father of theMajority Leader of Edo StateHouse of Assembly.

Nigeria Deports 414 illegalimmigrantsContinued from page 1

the Niger Republic ConsulGeneral to ensure thatimmigrants from that countrybear valid travel papers beforecoming into Nigeria.

The controller defended theexercise, saying it was necessaryand timely in view of the currentsecurity challenges in thecountry.

He said three of the aliensthat were recently deportedthrough the Dankama Border

Control Post and returned toNigeria via illegal routes on thesame day, had been re-arrested byimmigration officials.

Bulama said the arrest wasmade possible based on theverification of the immigrant’sbio metric data with theImmigration Mobile Patrol Teamat the border posts, assuring thatthe three illegal immigrantswould be prosecuted.

position on the highway for themotorists to know when theyare approaching a flash pointon the road and to as wellenlighten the people on thevarious signs. He assured that the councilwill carry out enlightenmentcampaign to educate thepeople on the need to alwaysobey road signs and the rulesso as to avoid carnages on theroad as well as to ensurevehicles plying Owan Westroute are road worthy. The chairman then promisedto look into the other issuesraised by the Unit Commanderin as much as it was of benefitto the people. In her address, the Unitcommander Mrs. Nsobong saidthe visit is to seek areas ofcooperation for the benefit ofthe people and to save lives. She then informed thechairman that the deadline forthe drivers licence is 30th

September 2013 and the priceN6,350 depending on thecategories of vehicles.

SABONGIDA-ORA - TheChairman of Owan WestLocal Government Council,Hon. (Barr) GodwinAignodion has reiteratedhis administration’scommitment to the totaloverhauling of thehealthcare services in thearea. Hon. Aigbodion made thisknown in an interview afterthe tour of the three (3)primary Health Centres atSobe. He said the importanceplaced on the health of thepeople has compelled thecouncil to collaborate withIrrua Specialist TeachingHospital and the newlyrenovated Michael ImouduHealthcare Centre toprovide quality healthcareservices to the peopleinstead of having to travelall the way to Irrua or BeninCity for treatment. He however frowned atthe poor attitude of thehealth workers and thedeplorable conditions of thecentres and ordered thesupervisory councilor forhealth and the worksdepartment to first andforemost clean up thepremises and ascertain thenumber of qualifiedpersonnel required at the

healthcare centres. Meanwhile the chairman hasemphasized the need forcontinous education for nursesand those in the healthcareservices for the growth of thenation. Barrister Aigbodion made thestatement when the executivemembers of the Forum forLocal Government Nurses andMidwives of Nigeria(FOLGOMN) paid him acourtesy visit at the councilsecretariat. He said apart from thecontinuous education andresearch, there is also theneed for Nurses to embracethe culture of maintenance forthe sustainability of the healthcare service and urged themto always take the treatment oftheir patients as paramount. Addressing the Chairman, thestate Chairman of FOLGOMN,Mrs. Catherine Eseinocommended the chairmanHon. Barr. Godwin Aigbodionon his effort at improving on thehealthcare facilities in OwanWest Local Government Area. She informed the chairmanthat Edo State will be hostingthe Nurses and midwives allover the country adding that, itwas mandatory that the localgovernment nurses attend asissues affecting them will bediscussed at the conference.

BENIN CITY-The Diocese ofBenin, church of Nigeria,Anglican Communion, haseulogised the developmentalstrides of Edo StateGovernment. This was contained in acommunique issued in BeninCity, last Sunday, at the end ofthe 17th synod of the Dioceseof Benin, church of Nigeria,Anglican Communion. The communiqué which wassigned by the Bishop of BeninDioceses, church of Nigeria,Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev.Peter Imasuen, and Hon.Justice S. O. Uwaifo (Rtd)CON, RSC, Chancellor of theDiocese, appreciated theefforts of the Oshiomhole-ledadministration in the areas ofeducation, road constructionsand health care. The synod therefore enjoinedthe state government tocontinue to do its best, despitecriticisms. It commended the efforts of law

By CLIFFORD AGBAJORenforcement agencies in thecountry in handling the securitychallenges, and in Edo state inparticular, adding that the synodwill continue to pray for theprotection of the leaders andmen of these law enforcementagencies. The synod condemned thepervasive and destructivecorruption in governance inNigera and even in the church. It therefore called on spiritualleaders to speak and actagainst the above, just as itcalled on government to ensurestrategies for more effectiveinculcation of spiritual and morevalues in children. The synod noted that thechurch needs effective disciplesand teachers that are willing tosuffer all things for Christ,stressing that Christians mustbe prepared to suffer for thegospel and endure the shameof the cross as God willcontinue to provide grace in theprevailing context of thepersecution and killing ofChristians.


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Inside EdoSecurity, ImperativeFor National Growth

- Police PRO

South Ibie Appeals ToGovt For RehabilitationOf School

UNIBEN Sacks 19 Staff Over Misconduct THE Governing Council ofthe Univeristy of Benin, hav-ing considered and ratified therecommendations of thedisciplinary committee set up

By ROLANDOSAKUE

BENIN CITY – The PublicRelations Officer, Edo PoliceCommand, ASP MosesEguavoen, has stated thatsecurity is imperative for na-tional growth and thereforerequires collective responsi-bility to manage. He said this while deliver-ing a keynote address at thestudent Union Government,University of Benin, Su-preme Parliament LegislativeSummit. According to ASP MosesEguavoen, who representedthe Commissioner for Police,curbing insecurity demandsthat people be vigilant anddevelop a cordial relationshipwith security outfits. He equally advised Nigeri-ans to form neighbourhoodwatch and giving the policeverifiable information. The

IYAKPI SOUTH-IBIE –The people of South-Ibie inEtsako West Local Govern-ment Area have sent a “SaveOur Souls” plea to Edo StateGovernment as a matter ofserious concern and urgencyto come to their aid in reha-bilitating the only SecondarySchool in the communityplaqued by dilapidating ac-commodation facilities aris-ing from long years of decayand rainstorm effects. Established in 1979through self help effort andtaken over thereafter by thestate government, thesecondary school also has thegrim challenge of having tocope with only five teachersmanning both the Junior andSenior Secondary Sessionseven as the leaking classroomblocks or partly severed roofsby rainstorms further com-pounded the problems of thestudents and existing teach-ers. While calling for urgent in-tervention by the state gov-ernment in its magnanimityto save the school on theverge of total collapse, thepeople also complained ofabsence of teachers in coresubjects as English Languageand Mathematics and urgedthe authorities to hearken totheir cry and take it necessaryto address the short comings.THE NIGERIANOBSERVER on a fact findingvisit to the school witnesseda pathetic state ofinfrastructural decay as onlyfive classrooms weremanageable in two blocks oftwelve classrooms while the

By EMMANUEL EGOBIAMBU /GEORGE OGBOLU

PRO advised youths to thinkpositively as their actionswould determine what the fu-ture holds for the country. Also, the speaker of the par-liament, Rt. Hon. GovernorG. Ameh, said that thesummit was put together dueto the “unfortunate” securitysituation in the country. “Weare compelled to live in a timewhen our hard earned democ-racy is faced with the impedi-ment of a seeming lack ofsustainability; which is evi-dence in perennial securitythreats, loss of lives and prop-erties,” he stated. The summit, which was or-ganized by the Supreme Par-liament, SUG, UNIBEN wasthe first ever and had as itstheme: The Role of Legisla-ture in Governance: Sustain-able Democracy, NationalCohesion and Security.

to look into various acts ofmisconduct by erring staff,have approved the dismissal,termination and compulsoryretirement of 19 academic andnon-academic staff of the in-stitution.

Academic staff whose ap-pointment were terminated areProf. Anslem Ivebego Igbafe ofChemical EngineeringDepartment, Dr. S.E. Uwamusiof Mathematics, Dr. (Mrs.)Odimogho of Optometry, Mr.Adewale Oladipo Oduwale ofMathematics, Mr. WashingtonOsa Enabulele of ProductionEngineering Department, Mr.Emmanuel Odiaka Okoh andMr. Solomon OhibuenoyeAjayi, both of History and In-ternational Studies. Other academic staff alsoaffected in the Department ofMicrobiology are Dr. (Mrs.)Eugenia Agodi Akortha, Dr.Anthony Endurance Ophori,Mrs. Chinwe Christy Isitua andMr. Christopher Uche Ajuzie.From the security unit are Mr.Johnbull Osayemen and Mr.Richard Okokobioko. Mr. Uyi Edoghogho Ogbianwas a senior clerical officer atthe office of the Director of

Physical Planning. From theVice-Chancellor’s Office isMr. Dickson Otobrise. Mr.Sampson Osazee Omokheyekeand Mr. Osaigbovo Amaize-Amenze were of the Estate De-partment. While Dr. (Mrs.)May Efeoma Nwoye, theformer bursar, wascompulsorily retired. Speaking with our corre-spondent in Benin one of theaffected persons said it was thehandiwork of the devil. According to him,” I had avery good job. In order to helpmy friends who were jobless, Iengaged myself in the forgeryof some principal officers’signature. Other information gatheredby and confirmed that some ofthe former staff were alsoinvolved in admission rack-eteering, changing of gradesand collection of money fromstudents for various services.

rest have open roofs. On the other hand, only anew block of three class-rooms and an office, courtesyof Education Trust Fund, ETFproject in 2009 although yetto be put into use for want offurniture signified humanpresence in the school pre-mises. Principal of the schoolcould not be reached forcomments after concertedfruitless efforts but one of hisstudents who pleadedanonymity confessed thattheir attendance at the schoolwas not in any way betterthan those not schooling inthe absence of teachers andaccommodation. The student lamented thatthe situation was worse dur-ing WAEC and NECO ex-amination periods as theschool was temporary shutwhen the only five teachersgo for supervision andmarking adding that the uglydevelopment had compelledmany to relocate to otherschools while those whocould not had resigned theirfate to God. A community leader andchairman, South-Ibie Devel-opment Association, ChiefSaibu Omosa described thedilapidated state of the schoolas a set back for their childrenwho he said had nowhere tolearn even as it totally lackedteachers to provide educationand moral training. Chief Omosa while plead-ing with the authorities for ur-gent attention, regretted thatthe future of their childrenwas being jeopardized as aresult adding: “Many of ourchildren now roam aboutwhen they are supposed to bein school and even those whomanage to go have no teach

By Morrison Hayble

Nation’s Vision 2010Is On Course - Minister

BENIN CITY – The Minis-ter for National Planning,Shamsudeen/Usman, has de-clared that the Nation Vision2020 is on course as theeconomy is on a steady rise dueto the reforms by the presentadministration. The Minister who stated thiswhile speaking at 6th 2013ministerial platform monitoredin Benin said that inflation rate

By Emmanuel Egobimbu/Oyenmwen Omorogbe

in the country is down by 9%. According to the minister,Gross Domestic Product grewby 7.06% between 2011 and2012 and was largely driven bythe non-oil sector particularlyAgriculture. The Minister noted that someof the challenges facing theNation’s growth includeundevelopment unemploymentand security. He therefore charged Nigeri-ans abroad to come home andinvest in the availablepotentials in the country.

Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in hand shake with the Iyase of Benin Kingdom, Chief Sam Igbe, during the Gover-nor’s visit to the Oba in his Chambers. PHOTO: CHARITY OZIGBO-ESERE

Some Benin Enigie who graced the occassion of the Oba’s Birthday celebration.. PHOTO: CHARITY OZIGBO-ESERE


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Inside EdoEdo Govt ToRenovate StateMedical Stores

Knights Of St John Int’l InvestsNew Members

Construction Of Pedestran Bridge By Auchi PolyCommences

Drug Trafficking: MinisterUrges Parents To Educate

Their Childsren

ASABA – The frills andthrills of Solemn religiousity,wore splashes of colour,pomp and ceremony at the 9th

Grand Board of TrusteesMeeting (GBOT) of theKnights of St. John Interna-tional (KSJI), Benin GrandCommandery held in Asabawith a call on Nigerians to re-frain from their bad ways andall that is unclean. Speaking at the ceremony,which witnessed the investi-ture of 23 candidates into theKSJI, the Grand President,

Noble Knight, Brig. Gen. J.O. Ojobu explained that thetheme of the 9th Grand Boardmeeting which is “Be Ye Rec-onciled” (2 Corinth 5 : 20)was fundamental in man’s re-lationship with God. According to him, attain-ment of righteousness is thefundamental reason whyChrist took upon Himself oursins in order to reconcile Godand man. “No more love can be dis-

played than by the deathwhich Christ died to recon-cile us with God. Therefore,we as Christians should takeadvantage of that same rec-onciliation to square up ourown reconciliation with Godand our fellow man”, hestated. He therefore advised thatpreparedness is the watch-word, saying “because todaywe may exist but tomorrowwe may be no more. The onlything that will go with us tojudgment is our score cardsbased on our good work on‘earth’. In her remarks, Benin GrandRespected President, LadiesAuxiliary, Lady Dr. FlorenceNgozi Ugji, urged everyoneto learn to practice the virtuesof love, forgiveness and hu-mility, noting that the humbleman lives free of all pretenceand self deception. In attendance at the occasionwere worthy presidents fromthe various commanderieswhile among those investedas members of the noble

order of the Knights of KSJIinclude Barr. SolomonImohiosen, Editor, NigerianOBSERVER, Mr. Philip EfeOgieriakhi, Prince Victor OsiOribhabor, Engineer JohnOkovido, Mr. Patrick OkohJP, and Mr. Hope Makpo Eju,all members of Commandery717; Professor OnimawoIgnatius, Mr. AkharumeMagnus, Barr. TonyOnwordi, among others. However, at a separate cer-emony, those invested as La-dies Auxiliary include, Mrs.Annette Imohiosen, Mrs.Helen Nkiru Oribhabor, Mrs.Anna A. Abuh, Mrs. Grace E.Okoh, Mrs. Chioma A.Okovido, Mrs. Jane IyoreOgieriakhi and Mrs.Josephine U. Eju. Also inaugurated are PrinceCharles Nnamdi Ogbechi,Akhere Clem Imuze, Mr.Egbekuse Usi Humphrey, Mr.Geoge M. Ossai, Dr. JosephI. Uche, Mr. LwinusNwokegi, Mr. OkochaAnthony, Mr. Anthony IghoIkuakpogbe, Mr. ObalimCharles Chinonye, Mr. Tho-mas Evwierhurhoma, Mr.Okoro-Umubi Peter, PrinceVictor Nwankwo and, Mr.Alu Simon Ohio.

AUCHI – Work on the multi-million naira pedestrian Bridgeacross the Auchi – Okene ex-pressway by the Polytechnic gatehas commenced with thedualization of the road already inprogress. The project which was ear-marked before now is being sub-sumed on the major contractawarded for the expansion of theroad. When completed, it is expectedto provide convenience for off-campus students of the polytech-nic and others who need to crossthe road to or from the polytech-nic campus.

BENIN CITY – The Minis-ter of Foreign Affairs,Olugbenga Ashiru, has admon-ished parents, traditional rulersand other stakeholders to edu-cate their children/wards on thedangers of drug trafficking andother social vices so as topotray the country in goodlight. The minister gave this chargeduring the 2013 Ministerialplatform monitored in BeninCity. According to him, most Nige-rian prisoners in Europe andAsian countries, were ignorantof the dangers of drugtrafficking.

5AUCHI - In order to ensurethat drugs and other Health Com-modities are stored in optimumconditions in addition to the pro-curement of test kits from timeto time, Edo State Governmenthas comprehensively renovatedthe state Central Medical Storesas Ware House. Disclosing this while declaringopen a two day stakeholdersTown Hall meeting yesterday,the state Commissioner forHealth Dr (Mrs) AihanuwaEregie said the reason for reno-vating the Central MedicalStores is to augument andprovide space and adequatestorage facilities for drugsprovided by international donorsand partners. Organised by family Health In-ternational (FH1360) in collabo-ration with Edo State Ministry ofHealth, the commissioner notedthat the administration ofComrade Adams Oshiomholehas done quite a lot to ensure thatEdo citizens get quality HealthCare delivery services. Commending the FH1360 forpartnering with the state govern-ment in its quest to rid the stateof the devastating HIV/AIDSdisease, Dr. Eregie expressedhope that participants in the townHall meeting will be able tobrainstorm and come out withstrategies geared towards achiev-ing the lofty goals of the stategovernment in revamping theHealth sector in the state. In a brief remark, the Perma-nent Secretary, Ministry ofHealth, Dr. Peter Ugbodaga en-joined participants to show ahigh level of commitment to themeeting in order to come out

A member, House of Represen-tatives, representing Etsako Fed-eral Constituency, Hon.Abubakar Momoh who dis-closed this to newsmen ex-plained that work on thereconstruction of two riverbridges on the Auchi – South –Ibie – Agenebode road had alsoreached advanced stages andassuring that they would becompleted soon. Hon. Momoh said concertedefforts were sustained by theNation Assembly to ensure thefruition of the projects throughpersonal contacts and series ofmotion moved during plenarysession. He appreciated the collabora-

with recommendations that willhelp Edo State Governmentbenefit hundred percent fromAchieving Health NigeriaInitiative (AHNI) project in thecountry. Dr. Ugbodaga said the overallaim for the meeting was to maxi-mize the intended outcome andimpact of AHNI to strengthen theintegrated delivery of HIV/AIDSservices, and SIDHASprogramme for the benefit of thecitizens and government of EdoState. Earlier, the state programmemanager AHNI Dr. Victoria Nor-Ugor stated that the objective ofthe Town Hall meeting was toformally inform all stakeholdersof the Strengthening IntegratedDelivery of HIV/AIDS andSIDHAS from FH1360 toachieving Health Nigeria Initia-tive (AHNI) as well as to solicitstakeholders to buy intoSIDHAS’s project. Dr. Nor-Ugor further averredthat FHI has been collaboratingwith Edo State Governmentsince 2004, first on Global HIV/AIDS Initiative Nigeria(GHAIN) project and then onStrengthening IntegratedDelivery of HIV/AIDS ServicesSIDHAS project. The programme which has par-ticipants drawn from state min-istries of Health, Basic andHigher Education, Finance,Local Government and Chief-taincy Affairs, Women Affairs,Information, Budget and Plan-ning as well as Edo SACA wasalso attended by the ChairmanEdo State House of Assembly,Committee on Health, Hon.Bamidele Oloruntoba and Chair-man AHNI Board, Dr. IbrahimMohammed as well as DeputyChief of party, FH1360 Dr. Rob-ert Chiegil. tion of the Chairman, House

Committee on Works, Hon.Ozongbochi who gave his un-flinching support. According to him, “Now thatthe projects execution havestarted, I feel highly fulfilled tobe instrumental to their realiza-tion”, adding that he would en-sure close monitoring of theprojects till they are completed. Meanwhile, positive reactionsfrom members of the generalpublic have continued to trail theon-going projects execution asthey expressed appreciation tothe federal authorities for theprompt response to the deplor-able condition of the road. An Army officer, Isa Yamah

He said that the work of en-lightenment should and cannotbe done by government alone. Also, he said the ministry isworking hard to ameliorate theplight of Nigeria prisonersabroad. Ashiru disclosed that it is alsoworking in partnership withother countries to ensure thatNigerian prisoners completetheir jail term in Nigeria. He equally noted that theministry is pursuing economicpolicies that would attractforeign investors by buildingon the existing institutionalframeworks.

while transiting the road com-mended the federal governmentand the Minister of Works forrising to the occasion when thebridges on the road were nearcollapsing. He also commended the fed-eral government for recognisingthe importance of the road withthe comprehensive rehabilitationbeing carried out on it by theFederal Roads MaintenanceAgency, FERMA. Also reacting, a resident of thecommunity, Mr. Imonifi TanutiMomodu gave kudos to themember representing the con-stituency in the House of Rep-resentatives, Hon. AbubakarMomoh for his efforts atensuring the realization of theprojects noting that hedemonstrated the virtue ofservice to his people.

The newly invested members of the Knights of St. John Int’l: L - R, Barr. Solomon Imohiosen, Editor, Nigerian Observer, Mr. Philip EfeOgieriakhi, Engr. John Okovido, Sir Julius Ikhaine, Vice Chairman, Commandery 717, Prince Victor Osi Oribhabor, Mr. Hope MakpoEju and Mr. Patrick Okoh, JP.

The newly invested members of Knights of St John Int’l and their spouses, members of Ladies Auxiliaries (Laux) in the same orderwith Lady C. Ikhaine, Coordinator, Ladies Auxiliaries, 4th from right while Lady Anna Abu is third from left.


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Across The Nation

Oyo To PayN1.2bn

Compensation

Police Promote 330 Officers, Men

Be Self Reliant, DistrictHead Tasks Women

Flood Kills 41, Displaces 122,466 In2012 - Agency

Pawpaw, Remedy For Treating Various Diseases- NutritionistABUJA - Hajiya Jummai

Abdul, a Nutritionist at theWuse General Hospital,Abuja, said yesterday thatpawpaw (papaya) was aremedy for the treatment ofvarious diseases.

Abdul told newmen inAbuja that pawpaw preventedheart diseases and lowered therisks of many ailments,including cancer.

She said pawpaw was a richsource of antioxidants,phytonutrients, vitamins,minerals and special digestiveenzymes that had aremarkable internal andexternal effects.

“Ripe pawpaw is a greatsource of antioxidant vitamin‘C’, vitamin ‘E’ andcarotenoids like beta-caroteneand lycopene a naturallyoccurring chemical that givesfruits and vegetables a redcolour.

“The rich antioxidantcontents of pawpaw,particularly, were beneficial inreducing the risk ofdeveloping cancer,’’ she said.

According to Abdul, the

high levels of these valuablenutrients helped to protectthe skin against free radicalsknown to cause damageleading to wrinkles andother visible signs of ageing.

She added that pawpawalso helped in woundhealing, burns and assistedin the treatment of skinproblems like acne,

blemishes and age spots.She explained that the high

levels of lutein and zeaxanthinin pawpaw might also protectagainst developing cataracts,glaucoma and other chroniceye diseases.

“Other good sources of

lutein and zeaxanthin arespinach, broccoli and theyolks from free range eggs,’’the nutritionist said.

Abdul said the high level ofvitamins ‘C’ and ‘E,’ alongwith antioxidants like beta-carotene and lycopene in

pawpaw, could help reducethe oxidisation of cholesterolin the arteries.

According to her,cholesterol oxidisation isconsidered a dangerousprocess, potentially leading toarteries blocking with plaquethat can result in heart attacks.

“Increasing one’s intake ofthese antioxidants fromhealthy food like pawpawmay help improve blood flowto the heart and reduce the riskof developing heart disease,”she said.

Abdul also explained thatpawpaw was a good source offoliate which helped controlhomocysteine levels in thebloodstream.

Reports say that high levelsof homocysteine in the bloodis known to damage bloodvessels and is consideredanother potential cause ofcardiovascular disease.

She further explained thatthe beneficial fibre in pawpawhelped to lower undesirablelow density lipoprotein( LDL)cholesterol levels in the bloodby inhibiting its absorptionduring digestion.

Abdul also said theenzymes in pawpaw,especially the green fruit,could improve digestion bybreaking down proteins intothe individual amino acids.

“There are severalimportant compounds thatmake pawpaw a beneficialfruit for reducing the risk ofdeveloping certain types ofcancers.”

Abdul recommended that toimprove the skin, relievedigestion problems, protectthe eyes, heart and possiblylower risk of many diseaseslike cancer; one shouldcultivate the habit of eatingpawpaw.

YOLA - Forty one personslost their lives while 122,466others were displaced duringthe 2012 flood disaster inAdamawa, Mr Shadrach Barub,Executive Secretary, StateEmergency Relief Agency, hassaid.

Barub told newsmenyesterday in Yola that theagency had begun preparationsahead of the 2013 NIMET’spredictions for the state.

He said that the agency hadreceived a letter from NIMETnotifying the government of apossible reoccurrence of heavyfloods this year.

“In last year’s flood disaster,41 persons were confirmeddead while 122,466 others weredisplaced from their homes.

“And from last year ’sexperiences and NIMET’swarning over a possible floodreoccurrence this year, the agencyhas prepared well to confront asimilar development,’’ he said.

Barub said that the only solutionto Adamawa flood disasters wasfor the Federal Government tofulfil its promise to construct theDasin dam in Fufore LocalGovernment Area.

He said that the dam wouldreceive and control flood watersreleased directly from Lagdo damin the Republic of Cameroon.

According to him, dredging ofthe River Benue and earlywarnings from the Republic ofCameroon over Lagdo dam andDadin Kowa dam in Gombe State,

are necessary in averting thedisaster.

He said that the stategovernment had so farestablished 26 camps forinternally-displaced persons inseven flood-prone localgovernment areas to ease any

possible disease outbreak.“The major flood-prone areas

include Fufore, Girei , YolaSouth, Demsa, Numan andLamurde local governmentareas,” he said.

Barub appealed to the people,especially those on flood plains,to be cautious and avoid buildingand farming on dangerouswaterways.

YOLA - The AdamawaState Police Command hasannounced the promotion of330 officers and men of thecommand.

A statement signed by thecommand’s Public RelationsOfficer, DSP. MohammedIbrahim, yesterday in Yola said

81 Assistant Superintendents ofPolice (ASP) were promoted toASP 1.

It said that 38 sergeants werepromoted to inspectors. 121corporals were promoted tosergeants while 90 constableswere promoted to corporals.

The statement said that the

promotions were based on meritand were in recognition of thehard work and commitment toduty of the officers and men.

It also solicited continuoussupport and cooperation of thepeople of Adamawa in the effortof the command to ensuresecurity of lives and property.

YOLA - The District Headof Yola, Alhaji Sa’aduBawuro, has urged womenwho benefited fromgovernment andphilanthropic empowerment

programmes to justify thegesture by being self-reliant.

Bawuro said this yesterdayin Yola while receiving acheque for assistance towomen in the area to engagein petty businesses.

He commended AbdulazizNyako, the Sarkin Matasa(Youth Leader) of AdamawaEmirate Council, for theassistance.

He said that a committee tomonitor the beneficiaries ofthe revolving interest-freeloan in the district would soonbe inaugurated.

“Beneficiaries must do thenecessary things for them toprosper as well as encouragedonors to extend suchgestures to others’’, Bawurosaid.

In his speech, Nyako saidthe gesture by his office waspart of his contributions toreduce poverty in the society,particularly among women.

Nyako, who wasrepresented by Hajia HauwaAbba, said the gesture, whichstarted with 20 women in YolaDistrict, would be extended tothe remaining 32 districts inthe emirate.

Malam Shuaibu Dauda,representing StandardMicrofinance Bank, whichwas responsible forcoordinating the programme,said the bank would meetregularly with thebeneficiaries to guide them onthe right things to do.

Dauda said the bank wouldbe ready to also assist thoseof them who would need morecapital in future to boost theirbusinesses.

IBADAN - The Oyo StateGovernment says it will sooncommence the payment ofcompensation to 1,304persons affected by theconstruction of dual carriageways in the state.

A statement issued inIbadan by Mr. Bimbo Kolade,the state Commissioner forLands and Housing, said thatN1.2 billion had beenearmarked for the exercise.

According to the statement,the road projects are going onin Ibadan, the state capital andother major towns in the state.

The statement said that thedisplaced persons would startreceiving their money in thenext two weeks.

It listed the roads as:Efunsetan-Toll Gate Phase I,Efunsetan-Podo Roundabout-Toll Gate Phase II, Dugbe-Magazine-Eleiyele andA l e s h i n l o y e - O n i r e k e -Agbarigo Road in Ibadan, allin Ibadan.

Others are: Ibadan-Oyo-Iseyin Junction, Iseyin-OkehoJunction, Ilorin ExpresswayJunction, Takie-Palace-Ogbomoso Grammar School,Ibadan-Oyo ExpresswayJunction and Owode-Akesan-Palace Road.

The statement said that thedecision to pay thecompensation followed thecompletion of valuation andverification of the affectedstructures and the titledocuments submitted by theclaimants.

The Edo State Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Egberanmwen Odubu (Middle) receiving thenew National Temporary drivers’ licence from the Edo State Sector Commander of theFederal Road Safety Commission, Mr. Kenneth Nwaegbe (left). With them is the ExecutiveChairman, Edo State Internal Revenue Service, Chief (Sir) Oseni Elamah

L-R: Governor KayodeFayemi of Ekiti,Bishop of IbadanDioceses, Rev. FelixAlaba Job, GovernorAbiola Ajimobi of OyoState and his wife,Florence, during theservice to mark theBishop’s 75thbirthday anniversaryin Ibadan yesterday.


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Lagos

Market Leader Bemoans HighPrices Of Food Items

FAAN Evacuates Abandoned Aircraft

Group Tasks FG OnCyber Security

Lagos

IKEJA - Federal AirportAuthority (FAAN) says it hascompleted the removal of allabandoned and disusedaircraft from the air side of theMurtala Muhammed Airport(MMA), Ikeja, Lagos.

Mr. Yakubu Dati, theGeneral Manager, CorporateCommunications of FAAN,made this known in Lagos inan interview with newsmen.

Dati said that most of theabandoned aircraft weredismantled and sold as scrapsto the public, while otherswere bought by individualsfor business interests.

LAGOS - Mrs. TaibatBorokini, the Secretary,Ojuwoye Market, Mushin,has attributed the recentincrease in prices of fooditems to the security situationin the Northern part of thecountry.

Borokini told newsmenin Lagos that many peoplehad been complaining aboutthe increase in the prices ofbasic food items.

She said that most fooditems like pepper, tomatoes,cows, goats, onions, ginger,etc, were being brought fromthe North, adding that thesecurity situation had madethings difficult.

Borokini said that thereduced quantity of peppers,tomatoes, cows, goats andpoultry products supplied tomarkets in Lagos from theNorth, were becoming tooexpensive.

She said that this hadmade the food itemsunaffordable for many.

“Before now, a medium-sized basket of tomatoes wentfor N6,000, now it is aboutN12,000 and even hard to get;

LAGOS - The Presidentof the Nigerian Internet Group(NIG), Mr. Bayo Banjo, hasurged the FederalGovernment to give adequateattention to cyber security inthe country.

Banjo made the callduring an interview with ourreporterin Lagos.

He lamented that cybercrime was a major threat tothe nation’s security.

Banjo noted that a safeand secure society was aprerequisite for a goodbusiness environment.

He said that securitychallenges in the country hadassumed new dimensions,with the growing incidence ofcyber-crime and identity thefton the internet.

The NIG president said

Dati, however, deniedthat N120 million wasgenerated from the sale of theabandoned aircraft at theairport.

He said that thedestruction and evacuation ofno fewer than 65 airplanesabandoned by domesticairlines was taking place ineight airports across thecountry.

‘’We have completed thatof Lagos airport; we are stillworking at Benin, Kano, PortHarcourt and some other fewairports.

‘Once we are done withall the airports in the country,we shall let the public know.

‘’We cannot give aparticular figure of theremaining aircraft in eachairport, but we are almostdone.

‘’FAAN has not comeout to claim that it hasgenerated money from thisevacuation; the allegedmoney said to have beengenerated was a rumour.’’

According to Dati, someof the abandoned aircraft havebeen at the airport

environment for almost 10years.

‘’None of them isserviceable because most oftheir owners have closedshop; unfortunately, suchowners don’t want to evacuatethem for reasons best knownto them.

‘’Today, we haveremoved everything; our airside is free,’’ he said.

Reports say that some ofthe abandoned aircraft belongto Bellview Airlines, SpaceWorld, Capital Airlines, IRSAirlines, EAS Airlines, DasabAirlines and Fresh Airlines.

The aircraft models rangefrom Fokker 28, Embraer 100to Boeing 727 and 737.

Dati also stated that theauthority had begun theremoval of some billboardsplaced by one of itsconcessionaires, Bi-Courtney,at the MMA.

‘’The removal of the

billboards was on the heels ofviolation by theconcessionaire not to placeany billboard oradvertisement on a property itno longer has control over.

‘’Such act of violation toplace their advertisements ona property it no longer haslegal status over, is enoughdemonstration that the firm istreading on the path ofillegality,’’ the generalmanager said.

He said that thegovernment would soonconsider how to convert theproperty into a value addingasset, rather than the currentinsecurity it posed around theairport.

He said that the failure ofBi-Courtney to complete afour-star hotel and aconference centre on theproperty had resulted to thesite becoming a hideout forundesirable and unauthorisedpersons at the airport.

same goes for onions,’’Borokini said.

She said that apart fromthe shortage of food items,high haulage taxes by thevarious local governmentsacross the states, coupled with

bad roads, also led to theincrease in prices of fooditems.

Borokini urged theFederal Government tourgently address the problem.

that the privacy oftransactions on the internetwas no longer safe, sayingthat it was now constantlybeing threatened by cybercriminals.

“Indeed, the privacy oftransactions is constantlybeing threatened online.

“Our laws should beupgraded to cover new areassuch as electronictransactions, e-commerce andcyber security,” he said.

Banjo said that theInformation Communicationand Technology (ICT)industry can help establish acriminal database withexciting agency-specificgraphical user interfaces, forthe use of the law-enforcement agencies.

He said: “With effectiveICT, the law enforcementagencies can locate criminalcallers within the cellularnetworks.

Banjo advisedGovernment to heighten herpartnership with theinternational community toaddress the issue of networkand cyber security.

“Since cyber security isa global issue, the governmentshould engage the support ofthe international communityto address issues of networkand cyber security.

“These steps will ensuregreater confidence in the useof the internet by Nigerians,”he said.

The expert advised thegovernment to enactappropriate laws for nationalcyber-security and to protectcritical national informationinfrastructure.

He said that the passageof the cyber security billwould also ensure adequatelegal protection of internetusers.

Banjo said that thecountry now had no law oncyber crime.

The NIG president saidthat some internet users werestill victims of identity theft,privacy violation, fraud,defamation, online bullyingand the abuse ofconfidentiality.

“The FederalGovernment should take allnecessary steps to address theenactment of a national cybersecurity law.

“This will ensureadequate legal protection ofinternet users from identitytheft, privacy violation andthe abuse of confidentiality,”Banjo said.

He advised thegovernment to establish anational network securitypolicy, as well as standards tocontrol and protect thenation‘s electronicenvironment.

Nigerian Polytechnic Students Protesting Over the Nationwide strike in Lagos

Heavy Artillery “The Crab” recently reburbished by 302 Artillery Regiment, Onitsha and mounted at theOnitsha Military Cantonment in Anambra State.


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NorthNigeria Partners Argentina in Food Processing,Storage - Envoy

SUBEB SensitisesStaff On Benefits Of

Housing Scheme

NEMA Canvasses Teaching Of Disaster Mgt

553 Pensioners Failed To Appear ForScreening - Chairman

2 MenRemandedFor Alleged

DrugTrafficking

ILORIN - The Chairman,Kwara State Universal BasicEducation Board (KWSUBEB),Alhaji Lanre Daibu, yesterdaycharged staff of the board toregister for the National HousingFund Scheme (NHFS),describing it as important.

Daibu, in an interview withnewsmen, in Ilorin, explainedthat the scheme would affordmembers of staff the opportunity

MAKURDI - Nigeria’sAmbassador to Argentina MrChive Kaave has assured Nigeriaof Argentina’s readiness tosupport Nigeria in foodprocessing for improved foodproduction.

Kaave, who made thedisclosure yesterday in Makurdiduring a courtesy call onGovernor Gabriel Suswam, saidthe partnership would not onlyboost food production but alsoenhance the food value chain.

The ambassador, who led adelegation of Argentinebusinessmen on the visit, said thetrip was in furtherance of thepolicy thrust of President

KADUNA - The NationalEmergency ManagementAgency (NEMA), yesterdaycalled for the introduction ofdisaster management subjectsin primary and secondaryschools, to expand the scope ofrisk reduction in the country.

The North West ZonalCoordinator of NEMA, MusaIlallah, made the call at a oneday workshop organised by theagency for primary andsecondary school students inKaduna State.

The workshop has as itstheme: “Children andEmergencies: Risk Reductionand Mitigation begins atschools.”

Ilallah said learning disastermanagement at the basic

KATSINA - A total of 553pensioners failed to turn up forverification during the just

ILORIN - An IlorinMagistrates’ Court yesterdayremanded two men, Saka Yinusaand Mukaila Abodurin forallegedly selling Indian hemp.

The Prosecuting Police Officer,Sgt. Isacc Yakub, told the courtthat the accused were arrested onJune 13 at Budo-Oke Area ofIlorin.

He said that 68 wraps of Indianhemp were recovered in thepossession of the two men afterthe police performed thoroughcheck on them.

Yakub said that investigationrevealed that the accusedabandoned their car washingbusiness and resorted to sellingIndian hemp to hoodlums.

He said that the accused werearraigned on a one-count chargeof belonging to gang of thieves;contrary to Section 306 of thePenal Code.

He, therefore, objected to thebail of the accused, arguing thatthe alleged offence was notbailable.

However, the Magistrate, Mrs.Salimat Sambo, in her rulingordered the remand of theaccused in the Mondala Prison inIlorin.

Goodluck Jonathan’sadministration on economicdiplomacy.

He said the policy was aimedat creating jobs through directforeign investments.

The ambassador identifiedpoor facilities in food processingand storage as the greatestimpediments to food productionin Benue.

Kaave said that owing to a lackof processing facilities in thestate, farmers often sold theirproduce in their raw form.

He said that because of this, thefarmers never receivedcommensurate value on suchproduce.

Kaave said the partnership withArgentina would tackle suchchallenges by enhancing thequality of produce and alleviatingthe plight of farmers.

He recalled that the state onceenjoyed a robust agricultural

relationship with Argentinaduring late Aper Aku’s tenure asgovernor when the state importedcattle from Argentina

In his remarks, the ArgentineAmbassador to Nigeria, MrMercelo Cima, commended the

existing relationship between hiscountry and Nigeria.

He said that both countries had“much in common, ranging fromfootball to agriculture”.

Cima promised to giveaccelerated attention to visa

applications for Nigerians goingto Argentina for the purpose of“doing business with ourcountry’.

He said the flight challengesbetween Nigeria and his countrywould soon be tackled.

to own their personal houses.He said that the scheme was

introduced by the FederalGovernment to ensure that everycivil servant had a better livingcondition and owned a housebefore reaching the retirementage.

“Government workers, in theirquest to own houses, went extralength in the past by obtainingloans from commercial bankswith high interest rates. That I seeas unfair,” he added.

The chairman attributed thelacklustre attitude of civilservants to the scheme to poorunderstanding and the longprocesses in obtaining loans fromthe scheme.

He advised the authority of theMortgage Bank to make accessto fund easy for civil servants,stressing that there was a need forsensitisation of all civil servants.

Daibu commended the KwaraGovernment for its resolve tomake life more comfortable forcivil servants with the building ofestates and granting of loans tocivil servants.

education level would help thestudents to play important rolesin saving lives and property intimes of disaster.

He also said that the children,who were more vulnerableduring disasters, would beimbued with the requiredresilience to confront thechallenges posed by anydisaster at home, school andwork places.

The NEMA coordinatoradvised heads of primary andsecondary schools nationwideto encourage the establishment

of Disaster Risk ReductionClubs in their schools, toenhance the interest of studentson the subject.

“NEMA has adoptedstrategies to bring togetherrelevant stakeholders, variousschool authorities and studentsto enlighten and equip themwith modern techniques andcapacity to manage disaster intheir surroundings.”

Reports say that 10secondary school principalsand 50 students from across thestate were attending the

workshop.In a remark, the Principal of

Government SecondarySchool, Unguwar Sarki,Malam Musa Nayaya, advisedNEMA to partner with the stateMinistry of Education, toensure the introduction ofdisaster management studies inschools across the state.

He assured that his schoolwould establish the disasterrisk reduction club, to enablestudents to grow up with theknowledge and passion toprevent and combat disastersituations.

concluded capture of bio-metricdata of pensioners in KatsinaState, the Chairman of theverification committee, AlhajiSalihu Kado, has said.

Kado said while submitting thecommittee’s report to the stateHead of Service, Alhaji LawalAliyu, in Katsina that a total of13, 786 pensioners wereidentified during the exercise.

Reports say that the committeewas mandated to capture the bio-metric data of all pensionersunder the state government, the23 local councils and the Katsinaand Daura Emirate Councils,

He said that 286 of those whodid not turn up for the exercisewere pensioners under the payroll of the state governmentwhile the remaining 267pensioners were under the localcouncils, the local educationauthorities and the emiratecouncils.

Kado said that 6, 410pensioners identified were underthe pay roll of the stategovernment while 7, 376 wereunder the local councils, the localeducation authorities and emiratecouncils.

The chairman also said that alist of 128 new pensioners, whowere retired from the state serviceas at May this year, wasforwarded to the committee.

In his response, the state headof service, who received thereport on behalf of Gov. IbrahimShema, re-affirmed the stategovernment’s determination tomeet the demands of publicservants.

He commended the committeefor its diligent work, andpromised that the report would beused to enhance the performanceof the state civil service.

Reports say that the committeewas inaugurated by the governorin November 2012.

Ministers of National Planning Commission, Dr. Shamsideen Usman; Information, Mr. Labaran Maku and Foreign Affairs,Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru at the 2013 Ministerial Platform in Abuja yesterday.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru, presenting the ministry’s 2011-2012Annual Report at the 2013 Ministerial Platform in Abuja yesterday.


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Abuja

Chronic Diseases:Nutritionist Recommends Fruits,Vegetables

DHQ Assessment Team SubmitsReport

Senior Legislative Aide, Office of the Chairman, House Committee on Electoral Matters, Mr. Athnesius Kaqka, APGANational Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh and National Chairman, Action Alliance, Sen. Tunde Kelani, at the 6th ElectoralInstitute Lecture in Abuja yesterday.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega (left),welcoming the Chairman, Senate Committeeon Judiciary, Senator Umaru Dahiru (right), at the 6th Electoral Institute Lecture inAbuja yesterday. With them is Prof. Lai Olurode, a National Commissional of INEC.

Hawker Docked ForAssault

Expert Profers AdviseOn Kidney Failure

ABUJA - Dr DorcasAngbazo, a Nephrologist, hasadvised Nigerians to endeavourto treat malaria and hepatitis ontime to prevent the risk ofkidney failure.

Angbazo told newsmen inAbuja that people should eatmore fruits and vegetables tokeep the kidneys healthy.

She said that the habit ofchecking the blood sugar levelat least once or twice a yearshould be cultivated by alladults.

Angbazo said that the higherthe blood sugar level, thegreater the chances ofcontracting kidney disease.

“If you have malaria orhepatitis treat it on time, if youhave hypertension make sureyou take your drugs regularlyand control your blood pressurelevel.

“If you are diabetic, makesure you control your sugarlevel and take your drugsregularly, make sure you checkyour blood pressure.

“There is no reason for notchecking your blood pressureand sugar level at least once ortwice in a year, these are veryimportant.

“A lot of us do not engage inphysical exercises, it is verygood for our kidney, at least 30to 45 minutes, three times aweek of moderate exercise.

“Again, you must reduceyour salt intake; salt aidsaccumulation of fluid in thesystem.

“The more fluid you have,the more you are prone tohypertension, which caneventually cause kidneyfailure.’’

Angbazo said thatdocumented study had shownthat tobacco smoking decreaseskidney function, which couldsubsequently predispose anindividual to kidney failure.

The nephrologist said thatalcohol could have indirecteffect on the kidney, however,

no documented study hadshown that alcohol had 100 percent effect on the kidney.

Angbazo said that theprevalence of chronic kidneydisease was increasing rapidlyin Nigeria, adding that this wasdue to ignorance.

“Although in Nigeria,documented studies show thata type of chronic kidney diseasecalled chronicglomerulonephritis is one of themajor causes of kidney failure,followed by hypertension andthen diabetes.

“And this chronicglomerulonephritis is usually asa result of an infection inchildhood, infections likehepatitis, or malaria, whichcould eventually cause chronicglomerulonephritis in thefuture.”

She explained thatglomerulonephritis was one ofthe causes of kidney failureusually due to infection.

The Kidney Foundation ofCanada saysglomerulonephritis, also callednephritis, is a disease of thekidneys in which the glomeruli,the tiny filters in the kidneysthat help to clean the blood,become inflamed or damaged.

This allows protein and redblood cells that normallycirculate in the bloodstream topass into the urine.

Angbazo said that thefunctions of the kidney includecontrolling the volume of fluidin the system, removing ofwaste product and secretingsome hormones.

She said that one of the mainhormones the kidney secretedis erythropoietin.

Angbazo said thaterythropoietin helps in theformation of blood, “especiallyred blood cells and it helps invitamin B metabolism, so thatit controls the calcium level inthe system.’’

She explained that calciumhelped in bone formation andstrengthening of the bone.

ABUJA - A nutritionist,Ms Ngozi Eze, has stressedthe need to increaseconsumption of fruits andvegetables instead ofcarbohydrate foods, becauseof their antioxidant content.

Eze told newsmen in Abujathat fruits and vegetablesprotect humans againstchronic diseases, such ascancer and aneamia,

Antioxidants aresubstances which protect thecells against the effects of freeradicals, while free radicalsare molecules produced whenthe body breaks down food.

According to thenutritionist, antioxidants helpto fight and counter theharmful effects of unstablemolecules in human bodiescalled ‘free radicals’, whichcan cause various types ofcancers.

Eze said research hadshown that due to the highlevel of antioxidants inapples, eating one a daywould reduce the risk of

breast, lung and prostatecancer.

“Apples have also beenconfirmed to improve

memory and learning andslows down ageing.

“Apples contain pectin, a

soluble fiber that helps tolower blood cholesterol.

“Fruits such as oranges,

aside from being rich inVitamin C, have folic acid andfibre.

“Folic acid helps in bloodproduction, while fibre cleansthe intestines and aids it tofunction properly.’’

Eze advised people toconsume more water melon asit hydrates the body and is richin iron that strengthens andprotects all the organs in thebody.

“Water melon is alsoessential for menstruating,pregnant and lactatingwomen, who lack iron; lackof it results in anaemia.’’

She also suggestedincreased consumption ofcarrots as it is very rich inVitamin A and beta-carotene,which is useful in improvingvision.

“Carrots also prevent eye-related diseases such ascataracts and also help theheart to function properly andstrengthen the immunesystem’’, she added.

ABUJA - The police hasarraigned a street hawker,Tanimu Bashir, in an AbujaSenior Magistrates’ Court forallegedly assaulting a staff ofthe Abuja EnvironmentalProtection Board (AEPB).

The police arraigned Bashir,of Garki village, on a two-count charge of criminal forceto deter public servant from

discharging his lawful dutyand causing hurt on an officialof the AEPB, Mr AnzakuFrancis.

The Prosecutor, Mr SimonEmmanuel, told the court thatFrancis reported the matter tothe Life Camp DivisionalPolice Station, Abuja, on June15.

Emmanuel told the courtthat about 5.00 p.m., while onofficial duty, Francis arrestedBashir around the Life Campjunction, Abuja.

He said that the accused,and two others, now at-large,resisted arrest and allegedlystoned Francis, resulting in adeep cut on his head.

The prosecutor said theoffence contravened sections267 and 247 of the PenalCode.

If found guilty, the courtcan sentence Bashir to oneyear imprisonment or with anoption to pay a fine or withboth.

The accused pleaded notguilty to the two-countcharge.

The Senior Magistrate, MrZubairu Mohammed, grantedthe accused bail in the sum ofN100, 000 and one reasonablesurety in like sum.

He ordered that the suretymust have a means oflivelihood and be livingwithin the jurisdiction of thecourt.

The magistrate, then,adjourned the matter to June28, for further hearing.

ABUJA – The DefenceHeadquarters AssessmentTeam to Yobe and Bornohas returned to Abuja tosubmit its findings to theChief of Defence Staff(COS), Adm. Ola Ibrahim. Brig.-Gen ChrisOlukolade, the Director ofDefence Information toldour reporter in a telephoneinterview that that theteam visited theoperational areas to assessthe situation. The operations followedthe declaration of a state ofemergency in Borno, Yobe

and Adamawa by PresidentGoodluck Jonathan onMay 14. Olukolade, who was partof the eight-manassessment team, said itpaid particular attention tothe large number ofcaptured insurgents. The team will report itsfindings to the Chief ofDefence Staff, who willtake necessary action onhow to sort the level ofinvolvement of the

insurgents. The CDS will look at thelevel of involvement of theinsurgents, with a view to

advising the FederalGovernment on thenecessary legal andsecurity procedure inmanaging the situation.”

1 0 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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1 1 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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NSE DAILY ACTIVITY SUMMARY (EQUITIES) AS AT YESTERDAY(24/0613)

Stocks Open Close Change Deals Units Value

7UP 54.45 54.45 0 14 24,525 1,305,249.25

ABBEYBDS 1.5 1.5 0 1 1,000 1,650.00

ABCTRANS 0.93 0.91 -0.02 3 90,921 82,738.11

ACADEMY 2.26 2.26 0 8 155,092 316,387.68

ACCESS 10.75 10.7 -0.05 1960 11,553,913 123,551,060.63

AFRIPRUD 1.75 1.75 0 52 14,344,839 25,103,055.20

AGLEVENT 1.55 1.55 0 4 37,822 56,450.12

AIICO 0.92 0.87 -0.05 46 3,015,547 2,714,117.39

AIRSERVICE 5.2 5.2 0 11 139,764 659,815.52

ALEX 10.55 10.55 0 3 25,000 278,602.25

ASHAKACEM 23.85 21.5 -2.35 78 1,560,513 34,496,294.45

BETAGLAS 10 10 0 4 3,332 33,820.90

CADBURY 55 55 0 79 687,686 37,823,012.88

CAP 59.89 59.89 0 17 128,980 7,392,428.00

CAPOIL 0.5 0.5 0 1 37,000 18,500.00

CCNN 10.75 10.53 -0.22 27 487,073 5,292,690.20

CHAMPION 5.32 5.32 0 5 50,000 292,500.00

CHAMS 0.5 0.5 0 1 457,000 228,500.00

CILEASING 0.5 0.5 0 1 25,000 12,500.00

CONOIL 23 23 0 13 11,878 279,215.03

CONTINSURE 1.2 1.17 -0.03 7 524,658 616,913.70

CORNERST 0.5 0.5 0 5 35,866 17,933.00

COSTAIN 1.42 1.42 0 13 125,412 180,596.04

COURTVILLE 0.8 0.8 0 20 3,092,500 2,572,670.00

CUSTODYINS 1.65 1.65 0 32 2,393,064 3,971,678.56

CUTIX 2.26 2.04 -0.22 6 163,614 333,772.56

DAARCOMM 0.5 0.5 0 3 30,600 16,675.00

DANGCEM 192 189.8 -2.2 77 145,642 27,571,143.51

DANGFLOUR 9.57 9.4 -0.17 47 530,153 4,991,741.77

DANGSUGAR 10.5 9.83 -0.67 85 2,957,847 30,154,021.86

DIAMONDBNK 6.23 5.7 -0.53 152 17,203,766 108,895,536.14

DNMEYER 1.32 1.3 -0.02 8 151,449 196,811.25

DUNLOP 0.5 0.5 0 7 28,187 14,093.50

ELLAHLAKES 4.26 4.26 0 1 30 115.2

EQUITYASUR 0.5 0.5 0 1 7,000 3,500.00

ETERNA 3.01 3.1 0.09 59 2,198,860 6,924,601.81

ETI 15 14.5 -0.5 75 2,826,938 41,357,235.72

EVANSMED 3.3 3.3 0 4 33,612 99,827.64

FBNH 17.3 17.01 -0.29 422 8,262,451 142,473,637.47

FIDELITYBK 3.16 2.86 -0.3 113 15,065,634 45,324,066.68

FIDSON 2.3 2.07 -0.23 48 2,361,435 4,940,550.91

FIRSTALUM 0.5 0.5 0 1 10 5

FLOURMILL 93.6 93.6 0 65 191,832 16,588,707.64

FO 17.02 17.02 0 44 184,262 3,301,352.35

FTNCOCOA 0.5 0.5 0 2 110,590 55,295.00

GLAXOSMITH 67.98 62 -5.98 20 576,473 35,706,940.90

GUARANTY 25 24.2 -0.8 324 20,215,759 497,415,735.42

GUINEAINS 0.5 0.5 0 1 4,500 2,250.00

GUINNESS 260 255 -5 33 42,420 10,811,570.36

HONYFLOUR 3.4 3.17 -0.23 58 3,506,872 11,301,250.67

IKEJAHOTEL 0.82 0.74 -0.08 17 1,404,430 1,068,804.00

INTBREW 26 26 0 47 342,064 8,569,428.15

INTERLINK 4.9 4.9 0 1 1,000 4,410.00

JAPAULOIL 0.54 0.52 -0.02 40 4,047,224 2,134,700.32

JBERGER 60.9 60.9 0 13 32,568 1,848,643.10

JOHNHOLT 1.43 1.29 -0.14 7 302,410 390,617.72

JOSBREW 1.2 1.2 0 3 4,600 5,354.00

LASACO 0.5 0.5 0 2 174,100 87,050.00

LEARNAFRCA 1.84 1.84 0 2 70,500 129,720.00

LIVESTOCK 5.39 4.89 -0.5 160 12,975,649 68,275,464.47

MANDRID 5.94 5.94 0 1 50 267.5

MANSARD 2.3 2.2 -0.1 22 508,477 1,107,472.97

MAYBAKER 2.32 2.55 0.23 74 2,441,431 6,074,606.54

TOP 10 GAINERS TOP 10 GAINERSStock Close Loss

GLAXOSMITH 62 -5.98GUINNESS 255 -5OKOMUOIL 43.1 -4.7ASHAKACEM 21.5 -2.35DANGCEM 189.8 -2.2NASCON 11.66 -1.19UBN 11.9 -1.13ZENITHBANK 19.1 -1.12GUARANTY 24.2 -0.8DANGSUGAR 9.83 -0.67

Stock Close Gain

UNILEVER 56.39 0.27MAYBAKER 2.55 0.23OANDO 13.05 0.2PAINTCOM 1.85 0.13UBA 8.5 0.1ETERNA 3.1 0.09UAC-PROP 15.2 0.06PRESTIGE 0.61 0.02UNITYBNK 0.61 0.01

TOP 10 LOSERS

MBENEFIT 0.5 0.5 0 1 20,000 10,000.00

MCNICHOLS 1.75 1.74 -0.01 10 434,200 718,960.00

MOBIL 119 119 0 19 17,869 2,017,069.30

MRS 17.8 17.8 0 13 204,350 3,710,754.30

MULTITREX 0.5 0.5 0 1 200,000 100,000.00

MULTIVERSE 0.5 0.5 0 1 20,000 10,000.00

NAHCO 6.7 6.07 -0.63 46 569,637 3,589,759.87

NASCON 12.85 11.66 -1.19 49 846,089 10,011,934.67

NB 155 155 0 177 1,386,049 214,777,749.00

NCR 18.7 18.7 0 6 9,865 166,050.56

NEIMETH 1.3 1.17 -0.13 15 920,628 1,083,283.51

NEM 0.76 0.75 -0.01 38 4,089,221 2,970,722.39

NESTLE 991 991 0 103 117,326 116,161,841.28

NIGERINS 0.5 0.5 0 3 2,563 1,281.50

NIGROPES 7.85 7.85 0 1 50 353.5

NIWICABLE 0.5 0.5 0 5 20,000 10,000.00

NNFM 25.91 25.91 0 2 6,570 187,245.00

NPFMCRFBK 1.1 1.1 0 8 332,648 360,582.80

OANDO 12.85 13.05 0.2 333 16,203,763 210,205,437.11

OKOMUOIL 47.8 43.1 -4.7 68 643,157 28,523,816.87

PAINTCOM 1.72 1.85 0.13 6 405,000 739,550.48

PORTPAINT 4.23 3.99 -0.24 14 4,335,000 16,525,350.00

PREMBREW 0.68 0.68 0 1 400 296

PRESCO 36.95 36.89 -0.06 73 2,211,660 77,202,423.64

PRESTIGE 0.59 0.61 0.02 9 1,002,000 605,864.09

PZ 45 45 0 48 221,474 9,353,794.20

REDSTAREX 4.99 4.9 -0.09 32 394,849 1,820,627.99

ROADS 9.06 9.06 0 1 50 498

ROYALEX 0.55 0.55 0 5 177,991 99,189.95

RTBRISCOE 1.68 1.68 0 6 18,252 29,757.12

SCOA 5.42 5.42 0 1 203 990.64

SKYEBANK 4.71 4.26 -0.45 168 10,171,865 46,038,504.26

SOVRENINS 0.5 0.5 0 1 10 5

STACO 0.5 0.5 0 1 10 5

STANBIC 16 16 0 37 838,278 13,113,232.70

STDINSURE 0.5 0.5 0 2 35,000 17,500.00

STERLNBANK 2.59 2.58 -0.01 72 8,092,775 20,896,667.90

TOTAL 165.07 165.07 0 15 4,940 810,764.50

TRANSCORP 1.18 1.16 -0.02 88 10,402,003 12,146,838.72

TRIPPLEG 2.29 2.29 0 1 1,599 3,309.93

UAC-PROP 15.14 15.2 0.06 24 441,252 6,743,264.10

UACN 57.8 57.25 -0.55 56 563,256 32,316,107.56

UBA 8.4 8.5 0.1 410 181,298,294 1,535,055,833.56

UBCAP 1.26 1.2 -0.06 87 2,958,337 3,615,099.75

UBN 13.03 11.9 -1.13 50 390,505 4,679,097.71

UNIC 0.5 0.5 0 1 20,000 10,000.00

UNILEVER 56.12 56.39 0.27 77 1,458,670 82,022,083.15

UNITYBNK 0.6 0.61 0.01 34 7,024,859 4,355,146.53

UPL 5.6 5.59 -0.01 6 262,695 1,355,303.20

UTC 0.65 0.65 0 7 28,135 18,313.25

VANLEER 12.68 12.68 0 1 50 571

VITAFOAM 4.35 4.35 0 28 812,640 3,540,163.90

WAPCO 90.75 90.75 0 48 298,394 24,879,210.90

WAPIC 1 1 0 7 83,000 78,502.00

WEMABANK 1.11 1 -0.11 38 2,676,799 2,725,270.32

ZENITHBANK 20.22 19.1 -1.12 380 13,245,715 257,545,505.18

1 2 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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THE Nigerian Education Bank Bill whichhas passed second reading at the FederalHouse of Representatives, as explained bythe initiator, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamilaproposes to establish the NigerianEducation Bank, with the primary duty ofgranting interest-free loans to poor studentsseeking higher education in Nigeria.

THE Bill seeks to make available to eachbenefiting student, a sum of five hundredthousand Naira (N500,000) repayable in twoyears after graduation. The repayment,according to the proponents would take theform of direct deduction of ten percentmonthly deductions at source from salariesof beneficiaries or from the profits in thecase of self employed graduates until theloan is liquidated. According to theprovisions of the Bill, “applicants must havesecured admission into any NigerianUniversities, Polytechnics, Colleges ofeducation or any vocational schoolestablished by the Federal Government orthe Government of the States of theFederation.”

THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER commends theinitiators and promoters of the Bill, whichwe consider progressive in a country wheremore than 70 percent of its population livebelow the I USD per day poverty line. Formost Nigerians who have had to go throughhell to obtain higher education, this is awatershed Bill not only welcomed by thepoor, but groups marginalised by societysuch as orphans, physically challengedpersons among others who do not haveanywhere to turn to for higher education.

IT is not much of news that students oftertiary school-Universities, Polytechnics,

Prospects ofNigerian Education

Bank Bill

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Colleges of Agriculture and Colleges ofeducation and others have gone throughuntold difficulties over the years to passthrough such institutions. We are glad that theBill is currently being considered by thelawmakers.

IT is equally heartwarming to note that, withthe proposed law, Nigeria is on the right trackto join the rest of the world in subsidizingeducation for the poor. It is important to notethat Scandinavian countries such as Finland,Sweden, Norway, and Denmark havedeveloped sound qualitative education andalmost tuition-free higher education fromcradle to grave. In fact, in Denmark, the tuitionis free and, in fact, international students alsoenjoy free tuition provided they could showevidence of $6,000 feeding and upkeep fee perannum.

ALTHOUGH tuition in Australia is not free,there are a lot of grants, scholarships andbursaries instituted for both the brilliant andpoor students. These are best practices thatthis bill seeks to emulate.

WE recognise that schooling anywhere in theworld is not easy and hardly cheap, it isagainst this backdrop that we welcome themove by the Federal House of Representatives

to introduce a law that would take such aload off parents’ shoulders. We equally wishto call on the upper legislative chamber, theSenate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria tocon1ir the Bill as soon as it is passed by thelower house so that it can become a law inNigeria.

OUR support for the bill notwithstanding,we are of the opinion that Section 22 of thebill must be re-couched to read that“beneficiaries should be made to pay backthe loan as soon as they are employed”, notthe two years contained in the bill, given thehigh rate of unemployment in the country.

IN our view, Sub-section 4 of the bill whichstipulates punishments for offenders of thelaw in a case of default also requires a reviewto avoid the culture of impunity amongyoung Nigerians who would take undueadvantage of the benefits derivable from thelaw. Two years imprisonment or an optionof fine of N500,000 being the same amountbenefited by the beneficiary is not sufficientdeterrence. We recommend five yearsimprisonment for offenders or a fine ofN700,000 instead.

WE believe the Bill also throws up the needfor government at all levels to take urgentsteps to improve the employment market inNigeria to absorb the army of unemployedpersons roaming the streets in search ofjobs. Government should redouble effortstowards guaranteeing constant electricitysupply, potable water supply, roads, railwaysystem and other infrastructure needed toboost the nation’s industrialization, as amajor way of making the law work efficientlywhen it eventually passed and assented toby the President.

1 3 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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Much AdoAbout Nothing With

Obuseh JudeGSM: 08033510173

Cutting Edge

THE deafening noise thatemanated from theopposition camp in thewake of the conclusion ofthe recently held LocalGovernment CouncilElections in Edo State is aclassic example of theextreme lengths overambitious politicians willgo in their vain pursuits offast-receding dreams. All of a sudden, knowndemagogues aremetamorphosing intodemocrats, squealing forthe cancellation ofelections that wereadjudged free and fair bymost objective observers,despite the normalchallenges of conductingpolls in a democratisingsociety that wereexperienced at somepolling centers on votingday. What is most worrisomeand at the same timeannoying about the wholedrama is the character ofindividuals spearheadingthese misplaced calls for“justice”; characters thatare sadistically opposed tothe pure precepts ofdemocracy and goodgovernance; hollow-minded incarnates ofstupidity who haveconstituted themselves intostumbling blocks to theprogress of Edo State;mingy monks whoselegendary goofs havebecome proverbial;neophytes who have turnedopposition politics into apantomime of sorts – intoa boring comic show – intoa dreary activityorchestrated by pantaloonswho have become boringto their audience. Of all the oppositionpolitical parties that fielded

candidates in the LGpolls, only the formerruling party in the stateseems to be the mostaggrieved. I wonder whya party that came from therear in virtually all theLGs where polls wereheld should be the onescreaming blue murder. Isit not amusing that a partythat has become an also-ran in Edo politics is theone crying Wolf the most?If not anything else, theoutcome of the LG pollshas re-defined oppositionpolitics in the state; a re-configuration of the tilt ofrelations among thepolitical forces in thestate, resulting in therelegation of this party tothe position of a marginalparty in the state: Maybethat’s the reality thefundamentalists in thisparty cannot come togrips with. When this party madea clean sweep of all theavailable council seatsduring the council pollsheld in Akwa-Ibom,Rivers, Bayelsa, and theFederal Capital Territory,nobody raised eyebrows,considering the brazenirregularities thataccompanied the saidelections. So, how comethe same party is the onecomplaining most ofirregularities in electionsin which its half-bakedcandidates were roundlydusted by more popularand acceptable candidatesfrom other politicalparties? Why does thisparty expect to come topsin every electoral contestsin which it fieldscandidates? Why can’t themembers of this party bemagnanimous in defeat,

as is the tradition in trulydemocratic climes? I thinkwe all know the answersto these rhetoricalquestions. That the ruling party inthe state, the ActionCongress of Nigeriagarnered majority of thetotal votes cast in all theLGs where results weredeclared should notsurprise any perceptive

individual – it wasexpected. The outcome ofthe polls was anoverwhelming indicationof the people’s generalacceptance of the ACNspedigree as a champion oftheir aspirations andexpectations. Consideringthe heartwarmingdevelopments induced bythe current order of blisssweeping across the lengthand breadth of the state,nothing short of total

victory was expected forthe party and itscandidates. That the partyeven lost a single ward –Ward 6 in Oredo LG – wasa misnomer, taken itsgleaming records over the

years into cognizance. During the July 14,2012, Gubernatorial Pollsin Edo State it is on recordthat the ACN won in allLGs: All wards in EdoSouth; every ward in EdoNorth; and 85 % in EdoCentral. With thisintimidating precedent, Isee no reason why anyright-thinking personwould engage in rhetoricabout the fairness,openness, and credibility

of a process thataccompanies the recentLG polls. The truth is that thesorry-losers in the nowrelegated marginalopposition party in the

state, both at the Federaland State levels, haveobviously refused toaccept the paradigm shiftin Edo politics. In theirgreed-driven quest toremain politicallyrelevant, they havedeveloped the proclivityfor attacking any politicaldevelopment in the state,using the most arcanemethods they can devise.This unsportsmanlikeattitude is completelyshameful andunacceptable. Theseshibboleths of the past arethrowing us back to thedark ages when changewas seen as taboo by thedrivers of that era. It is the people’sprerogative in anydemocratic society todecide those they feel are

most qualified to governthem, through the ballot.That is the beauty ofdemocracy. But when afraction of an entirepopulation form the habitof constantly holding the

larger body politic toransom, in order to satiatetheir cathedral-like egos, itbecomes a matter ofserious concern.Democracy is supposed tobe a people-driven systemof government. Anythingshort of this is a crisis ofdemocracy. If the members of thebested opposition group inthe state feel genuinelyaggrieved by the outcomeof the LG polls, there areseveral legal avenuesthrough which they canseek redress. I wouldadvise such persons toavail themselves the use ofsuch means and desistfrom further heating up thepolity. Enough of thenoise! I sign off.

“The truth is that the sorry-losers in the now relegated marginalopposition party in the state, both at the Federal and State levels,have obviously refused to accept the paradigm shift in Edo politics.In their greed-driven quest to remain politically relevant, they havedeveloped the proclivity for attacking any political development inthe state, using the most arcane methods they can devise.”

1 4 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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Nutritional Health And Dietetics With

O.C.MaduGSM: 08056379608

Food Combination ForHealth And Longevity FOOD combination meanswhat to eat with what. Eatingfoods that are not compatiblein the stomach causesfermentation. Thisfermentation producesalcohol, sugar and yeast feedoff these sugars and multiplyrapidly, creating more toxinsin the body (Fere, 1991). People with candieliasisaccording to Dr. DulleyWright, have weak digestivetracts improper foodcombining further weakensthe digestive tract by causingit to work inefficiently until itslowly breaks down. By following the principlesof proper food combining,you avoid fermentation in thedigestive system and theyeasts starve to death. Thehealing process begins byallowing the over workeddigestive tract begin tofunction as it should and ahealthy digestive tract is animportant first step toward thetotal renewal that restoresyour body’s balance system.Basic rules of Fruitcombination Eat fruits alone and on anempty stomach. Fruitsencourage the growth of yeastin the body, so as you beginthe body system diet. Theonly fruits allowed are thelemons, limes andunsweetened barriers. Theseare acidic or sour fruits, lowin sugar, they do not createyeast overgrowth. All otherfruits are too sweet. Dr. Bireh-Benner asserts thatfruits pass through digestivesystem very quickly. Theyusually leave the stomachwithin 30 minutes and enterthe small intestine, where theycontinue to digest. But, if youeat them with other foods suchas protein or starches that takethree to five hours or more todigest, the fruit is held up andstarts to ferment. This meanspoor assimilation of nutrientsbut, more importantly, it setsup a perfect environments foryeast overgrowth as they feedoff the sugar produced fromthe fermentation. While it is best to eat fruitalone, proper food combiningallows you to eat acidic orsour fruits with protein. Fatfoods such as yoghurt, nutsand seeds or even raw, non-starchy vegetables. Forexample, you could combineyour break fast grape fruit

with plain yoghurt and ahandful of raw sunflowerseeds etc. The only time your digestivetract is truly empty is whenyou wake up in the morning,so that, it is the best time toeat fruits. Fruits are idealbreakfast because, it containsa lot of water which yoursystem needs after beenasleep without fluid all night. I strongly recommenddrinking a glass cup of waterwith some lemon juice. Whenyou wake-up. It is an age-oldway to stimulate theperistaltic action of the colon. Protein – Always eat proteinin flesh foods, such as eggs,meat, poultry, fish etc, yourstomach produceshydrochloric acid and anenzyme called pepsin. Whenyou eat starch such as potato,yam, eba, rice etc an enzymecalled ptyalin is secreted andalkaline condition develops.But if you eat protein andstarch together, the acidic andalkaline conditions neutralizeeach other and effectively stopall digestion, non of theenzymes can do their work orjob, resulting in poordigestion fermentation occursand a field for your yeast tothrive.Non Starchy Vegetable AndOcean Vegetables – Nostarchy vegetables and oceanvegetables are the mostcompatible foods to eat withprotein meals. They requireneither a strong alkaline nor astrong acid condition to digestproperly, so, by eating proteinfoods with non- starchyvegetables, you can achieveoptimal digestion.Non-starchy vegetables andocean vegetables are themost compatible foods to eatwith protein meals. Non-starchy vegetables go withjust about everything you caneat them with, oil, butter, glee,animal flesh, eggs, grains,starchy vegetables like squash

and potatoes , lemon, lime andraw sun-flower, caraway, flaxor pumpkin needs etc. Combine fish with stir friedor steamed vegetables.Chicken with a leafy greenvegetable and all vegetablesoups such as cream ofcauliflower and large

vegetable salad with sliced,hard boiled egg and oil freesalad dressing. An onion, red pepper andomelette or ocean vegetable,omelette with steamed asparagus and garlic.Grains and starchyvegetables – Always eatgrains and starchy vegetableswith non-starchy and or oceanvegetables. Grains that isstarchy vegetable should becombined with non-starchyvegetables or oceanvegetables.Fat – The only fats allowedare vegetable oil. Fats delay

the secretion of digestivejuice, so, when they are eatenwith protein, it is inhibitedcausing discomfort.Protein fats – Avocado, olive,cheese, yoghurt, sour cream,seeds and nut’s belong to acategory classified as proteinfats. These foods combine

best with non-starchy andgreen vegetables, oceanvegetable and acid fruits.Dairy foods also, belong tothe category of protein fats.They should always be eatenalone and on an emptystomach. The sugar (lactose)in them feeds the yeast. So,the body system diet prohibitsthem until your body systemis restored. If you are not type ‘A’ or ABblood, you can combine dairyfoods with acidic fruits andnon starchy vegetablesespecially raw leafy greens.Pulses – Dried beans, peas

and soybeans are both proteinand starch, so, you can seewhy they are difficult to digestand cause gas. You cancombine them with non-starchy green vegetables andocean vegetable, e.g, beans

cooked with onions andgarlic, served with sautedcarrots, steamed greens.Sugar, Honey and Molasses– The diet forbids all types ofsweeteners except herb –stevia etc because sugars feedthe yeast. Natural sweetenerssuch as honey, barley, malt,rice or maple syrup ormolasses should be eatenalone.Sugars do not combine withanything, that’s why you canget gas from cookies, since,they combine starches, fruitsand sugar. Rules: Eat until the stomach

is 80 per cent full leaving 20percent available fordigestion. If you overeat ongrains, bread and pasta,fermentation of the naturalcomplex will occur – sugarencourages candida over

growth.Alkaline forming – land orocean vegetables – 80 percent of the food on your plateshould be land and or oceanvegetable. The remaining 20pr cent can be animal protein,grain or combination ofgrains, starchy vegetable or acombination of starchyvegetables.Water – Drink at least eightglasses per day, but not withmeals, since it dilutes yourdigestive enzymes. Drinkwater especially, when youget up in the morning torestore liquid to your system.At other times, drink no closerthan 10 – 15 minutes beforemeal and then wait again anhour or longer after you eat. Drink water at room or bodytemperature, ice-cold watershocks the system too much.Try to have at least half yourdaily water intake by mid-morning. It really revitalizesyour system. Thanks for reading.

“Drink at least eight glasses per day, but not with meals, sinceit dilutes your digestive enzymes. Drink water especially, whenyou get up in the morning to restore liquid to your system. Atother times, drink no closer than 10 – 15 minutes before mealand then wait again an hour or longer after you eat.”

1 5 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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With

Fr. Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua

GSM: 08034006260

BOTTOMLINE

Integrity And Nation Building

EDUCATION andeducational process fromelementary to higher educationis a place we can learn andidentify character and integrityin people. In our secondaryschool days a certain studentwas known to be a notoriousthief. He was a torn in the fleshof every body around him. Theschool had a great relief whenhe withdrew from schoolvoluntarily. Surprise! The nextthing we heard was that he hadjoined the police force. Wethought it was a lie or a joke ora funny “April fool” until wesaw him in full police uniformcollecting money from taxidrivers along the road of a busymarket. One day, he was not onduty but he mounted a roadblock and was aggressivelyforcing money out of everydriver. On another day, heforced money out of a personwho turned out to be a policeofficer who arrested him andeventually sacked him from theforce. After his release fromdetention, he continued to usethe police uniform to rob untilluck ran out of him and hisgang. He was arrested andsentenced to death. This waslater commuted to lifeimprisonment.

It is interesting that thepresent leadership of the policeforce is insisting on academicqualifications and moralintegrity as part of therequirements for recruitmentinto the police force. OnDecember 22, 2012, Premiumtimes reported that “NigeriaPolice College sacks 500trainees for theft, forgery,”stealing, health challenges andindiscipline. “The recruit intakeBatch 1/2011 course wasinaugurated in October 2011.This was revealed by the ActingCommandant of the college,Adekunle Oladunjoye, a deputyCommissioner of Police duringthe graduation of 4,484 recruitsin Kaduna. The InspectorGeneral of the Police,Mohammed Abubakar chargedthe new graduates to diligentlydischarge their primary duty ofprotecting people’s lives andproperty.

I was reading Eugenia Abu’s“In the Blink of an Eye, 2007”with gusto until I got trappedin her reflection on “As if itisn’t London.” Eugenianarrated her experience inLondon and what someNigerians do with themselvesin “oyibo” empire. In Page 103-104, see how she reacts to theattitude of some Nigerians with

post graduate degrees andprofessionals who areemployed to sweep gutters,clean public toilets and serve as“oyibo” gardeners: “Is thisLondon? Give me a break.London is an illusion. Wouldyou not rather earn N500.00 amonth (which to us Londonersis a mere £25 and have amessenger greet you “MorningMadam” than clean Londonstreets for £500 a month. There

is a word for one of the options:Integrity. For those who choseintegrity, home is where to be!”

Given that “home is home”and that it is difficult to “be aking in another person’s land”the lingering question is to whatextent we have made ourcommunities an enviable homethat one would love to return to.Our traditional societies have amodus operandi and a mode oflaw to instil discipline andintegrity in the community. Ourcommunities in the pastrewarded virtue and punishedvice. Children wherequestioned by their parentsabout where and how they gotthings that were not providedby the parents. The greed forwealth was minimal becausethe value of name and integritywas held in a very high esteem.Even in marriage, enquiries andinvestigations were carried out,to ascertain the integrity of theman and the moral probity ofthe woman before marriage.There were checks andbalances in our variouscommunities.

It is obvious that no one canbe intelligent withoutmaintaining one’s integrity.Intelligence that is devoid ofintegrity can at best be classedas cleverness that is couched intrick and masking of a person’strue identity. Such a personlives in fear of being discoveredand so live a life of deception.The fact however is that onemay succeed in deceiving thepeople around but can notdeceive oneself. Thisschizophrenic life style that isdevoid of integrity marks aperson as a walking corpse.These are the kind of peoplethat should revisit the saying ofSocrates: “man know thyself!”

Integrity is like “good palmoil” that needs noadvertisement. If Nigeriansbelieve that “there is nodiscrimination in excellence”, it

will be easy to identify, good,honest, patriotic and selflesscitizens who can add candourand honour to the variouscommunities and the nation atlarge. The problem however, isthat Nigerians keep shoutingcorruption without identifyingthe corrupt and shamelesspeople who prefer worldlygains to their names and theattendant reputation. This isoften crowned by giving

chieftaincy titles and honorarydegrees to people that areknown to be spiritually,intellectually and morallybankrupt. This is not the bestway to teach the futuregeneration the value of life andthe honour that should be areward for people of trueintegrity and moral probity.The word “integrity” is derivedfrom a latin adjective,“integer” meaning “whole”and “complete”. The ingredientof integrity is honesty andconsistency that defines thecontent of a person’s character.A person of integrity isaccountable and responsible forhis or her actions. Integrity isoften manifested in the way andmanner a person maintainsprinciples that do not contradicthuman nature.

It is easier to dialogue withpeople who are conscious of

integrity, respect and honour innation building. It is becomingvery obvious that no nation canbe built on deceit and hypocrisywhich is the opposite ofintegrity. It means that anynation that cares about atransformation agenda must testthe attitude and aptitude of hercitizens by giving honour towhom honour is due andencourage those who are

striving to be men and womenof integrity by creating varioustypes of job opportunitieswhere the citizens cancontribute to the nation in theirdifferent areas of expertise.When people are challengedwith meaningfulresponsibilities, they tend to usethe given space to display andmanifest their professionalism.Otherwise we shall remain in aworld for a very long timewhere people are not proud ofwho they are. We may continuein a situation where forinstance, a medical doctorwould prefer to be a politicianor a business man at theexpense of his professionalfulfilment. Today someprofessional teachers are shy tobe seen as teachers because of

the attendant poverty in theteaching industry. Today manypeople prefer the politicalindustry for solace and succourwhereas they are trainedprofessionals in various fieldswho should be given a space tobuild up their capacity with ahigh sense of professionalfulfilment instead of lookingelse where for their sustenance.I wish every profession is giventhe true value to such an extentthat every worker will have asense of belonging.

Fr. Prof. Cornelius AfebuOmonokhua is the Director ofMission and Dialogue of theCatholic Secretariat of Nigeria,Abuja; and Consultor of theCommission for ReligiousRelations with Muslims(C.R.R.M), Vatican City.

“It is obvious that no one can be intelligent withoutmaintaining one’s integrity. Intelligence that is devoid ofintegrity can at best be classed as cleverness that is couched intrick and masking of a person’s true identity. Such a personlives in fear of being discovered and so live a life of deception.”

“It is easier to dialogue with people who are conscious of integrity,respect and honour in nation building. It is becoming very obviousthat no nation can be built on deceit and hypocrisy which is theopposite of integrity. It means that any nation that cares about atransformation agenda must test the attitude and aptitude of hercitizens by giving honour to whom honour is due and encouragethose who are striving to be men and women of integrity by creatingvarious types of job opportunities where the citizens can contributeto the nation in their different areas of expertise.”

Ibrahim Lamorde, EFCC Chairman

1 6 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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Political Governance In Edo StaBy PASTOR OSAGIE IZE-IYAMU

Being a Keynote Address delivered by Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamuon the occasion of the Leadership Conference and AchievementAward 2013 organised by EDO POLITICAL FORUM on the 8th

Day of June 2013 at Best Western Homeville Hotel, Benin City.I thank the promoters and entire members of Edo Political Forum

for this leadership conference and achievement award 2013 with thetheme “Rewarding excellence, promoting freedom and leveraging

been selected by the EPF for theiroutstanding contributions to thegrowth of Edo State and Nigeriain their different fields and call-ing. I would specially appreciateDr S O Ogbemudia who iswidely regarded as the architectof Midwest region, Bendel Stateand now Edo State. His legaciesin office are still visible for all tosee and appreciate. ProfessorAmbrose Alli, of blessedmemory, must also be applaudedfor the bold steps he took to makeBendel State the number oneState in Nigeria.

In addressing the main issue oftoday, “Political Governance inEdo State: 1999 Till Date”, it isimportant that we remember thatbetween 1991 when the state wascreated and 1999, Edo State, likeother parts of the country, had abrief stint of democratic rule ofless than 23 months with the ci-vilian administration of ChiefJohn Odigie-Oyegun of the SDP,who defeated Chief LuckyIgbinedion of the NRC, at the1991 gubernatorial polls. Themilitary junta of late GeneralSani Abacha in November 1993,sacked all democratic institutionsand returned the country to dic-tatorship that spanned another sixyears. In that period, Edo Statehad a fair share of military reck-lessness and poor vision in gov-ernance with the periodicpostings of Military Officers tohold forte in states. These offic-ers displayed glaring indifferenceto the development of the Stateswith the attendant lack of com-mitment to the welfare of thecitizenry, industrial developmentof the states, and refusal to layfoundations for long term sus-tainable investment in the States.The various Military Governorsor Sole Administrators did notmake any pretence of being re-sponsible to the people, andrather utilized the advantage ofthe fear of the gun to suppress thecollective desire of the citizenryto a good life and improved wel-fare.

In effect, Edo State was leftprostrate by military rule after1975. The gains of theOgbemudia years, which madeus the envy of all others in thefederation, were laid waste. In-frastructure decayed, and othercritical structures and institutionsof governance shrank to base lev-els. Thus, Edo State lost its labelas the “happening place”. It wasduring these locust years that theAnini Saga gripped Benin Cityand its environs. But even afterAnini, the crime situation neverreally abated. Besides the poorperformance of the military ad-ministrators who presided overthe state, there was also the veryserious impact of some criticalmacro-economic policies that

created social dislocations inways Edo people had never pre-viously experienced.

There was the Structural Ad-justment Programme (SAP),which the military regime intro-duced in 1986. It caused braindrain not only among the eliteclass, but among other classes aswell, such that the young and not-so-young lost faith in the coun-try, and voted with their feet, insearch of greener pasturesabroad. Crimes such as “419”grew during the period. Youngpersons stole, or fraudulently soldother people’s property, just toraise funds with which to traveloutside the country. Many per-sons of Edo origin died in thecourse of the sojourn, wiped outin the harsh conditions of the Sa-hara Desert, or drowned in theseas in small boats filled withdesperate illegal immigrantspacked like sardines.

But, perhaps, the mostunsalutary consequence of theterrible state of the socio-eco-nomic profile of Edo State at thetime was the rise of internationalprostitution as the identity of theEdo woman. Our girls, andwomen, were lured from thetowns and villages; they weremade to undergo various kinds ofrituals, and then flown to Italy,where they endured the hazardsof trading their bare bodies evenin the coldest winter season. Ig-norant family members at home,who received remittances, werehappy that, at last, they were leav-ing the poverty trap. Marriagesbroke up as wives deserted theirhusbands, and then went to Italy.

Government, in the eyes of themilitary junta ruling Edo State,was simply to sit over the affairsof the state, design ways andmeans of relating with the civilservants, and make new friendsamong the elite using the state re-sources to leverage such relation-ships. The state deteriorated,stagnated and was almost ruined,as parastatals and government–owned companies were ordered,overnight, to commence self-sus-tenance policy without any formof short-term planning and trialperiods to test-run the efficacy ofsuch policies, thus forcing the im-mediate downturn of commer-cially-oriented parastatals and in-dustries which had thrived fewyears before then, and leading toforced closures.

The immediate implicationswere that the economy of thestate took a sharp nose-dive;workers were sacked as a routine,while those retained in servicewere owed several months ofunpaid salaries and allowances.The elderly in our society, thepensioners, were in financialagony over unpaid monthly sti-pend. The citizens watched help-lessly as public infrastructuressuch as roads, public primary,

secondary and tertiary schools,hospitals, transportation facili-ties, and rural electricity projectswere abandoned and those in useslid into a state of decay due tocomplete absence of Governmentmaintenance. Contractual obliga-tions were not met and even theelites felt the pain of a system ofgovernment that was not respon-sible and accountable to the peo-ple.

The level of disenchantment inthe people was very high and bythe time the last military admin-istrator was leaving GovernmentHouse in Edo State, he had left ahuge debt burden of N500 mil-lion and the irrevocable chequesissued for urgent payment wasN300 million, while the actualcash balance was just N105 mil-lion. It was in the throes of thiseconomic quagmire, bastardiza-tion of the citizens’ morale anddecay in public infrastructuresthat the democratic administra-tion came on board in 1999.

The structure of governancesince 1999 has beenbenchmarked by the constitu-tional demand of public electionsand majority rule. The candidatethat scores the highest number ofvotes and with the appropriatespread in votes cast across thelocal governments becomes theelected Governor of the State.Politics therefore, took centrestage in the quest for public po-litical offices. This was the legaland constitutional foundation thatled to the emergence of ChiefLucky Igbinedion, the PDP can-didate as the Executive Governorof Edo State in 1999.

Chief Lucky Igbinedion, wasvoted as Governor primarily onthe basis of his highly successfultenure as the youthful Chairmanof the old Oredo Local Govern-ment Area of the State (whichtoday comprises Oredo, Egor andIkpoba-Okha council areas), andwas expected to perform andbring about a complete turn-around in the fortunes of theState. This huge expectation washampered by serious challenges.The rot in the State inflicted bylong years of military rule or con-quest had left the State postratewith huge deficits and liabilities.The first four years of the admin-istration were therefore used inthe payment of salary arrears,pensions and debt servicing. Therevenue profile of the State didnot permit the execution of anyserious capital project; hence theapproved budgets were mainlydevoted to recurrent expenditure.Internally generated revenue, forexample, which today thanks toComrade Adams Oshiomhole’sgovernment is over a billion nairaa month, was then around 27 mil-lion naira a month.

During this period under re-view, I functioned as Chief ofStaff to the Governor; what wasmy contribution you might ask?To appreciate my role, you mustunderstand my function. I wasnot in charge of any ministry orparastatal, neither did I have anyfinancial authority. As Chief ofStaff, I was the political clear-ing house, ensuring equitablesharing of political appointmentsto party faithfuls, interacting andinterfacing with the ruling politi-cal party to avoid conflicts be-tween it and Government

I however, expanded my scopeby dialoguing with labour unionson the recurrent issue of wagearrears and stagnated promo-tions; constantly liaised with theHouse of Assembly to ensure aharmonious relationship be-tween it and the executive armof Government and opened upmy office as a place for publiccomplaints and redress.

Another serious challenge tothe administration was the rul-ing party itself. The PeoplesDemocratic Party that producedthe Governor of the State be-tween 1999 and 2007 had nomanifesto, blueprint or plan forgovernance and in Edo State wasactually personified by one leadcharacter that was literally wor-shipped as the owner and giverof political power. The pressureand subtle threat from the god-father and his supporters wereexcessive and distractive in theprocess of project planning andexecution, as well as manage-ment of the resources of theState. When the Governor re-sisted the trend, especially dur-ing his second tenure, and alteredthe power relations in govern-ment, he was harassed by theAbuja henchmen of the politicalparty and even deregistered fromthe party, along with his rebel-lious aides who sought to keepthe Edo resources as a commonwealth for all. Edo people did notknow the magnitude of the in-ternal political battle that ragedbetween the Governor and thegreedy godfathers. Definitely,the Governor did not have thecombative and no nonsense pos-ture of the incumbent Governor,Comrade Adams Oshiomhole,who with his progressive men-tality as an activist, also had tocontend with the godfatherismsyndrome and ruthlessly disman-tled their structure.

There were, as you may recall,a few open quarrels within thePeople’s Democratic Party(PDP), which resulted in the for-mation of parallel executives,and the operation of parallel sec-retariats, one of which was de-clared open with the force ofarms, as though Benin City wereunder siege of an occupationforce. Attempts at reconciling thedifferences were either rebuffed,or failed altogether. There werethreats of political castration,such that one faction boastedabout rendering the other impo-tent. One step in this dreaded di-rection was the wholesalederegistration of members of theother faction. After that, the diewas cast, and the factions re-turned to their trenches, and gotready to face each other in thegeneral elections of 2007.

Nevertheless, I think I shouldunderscore one important fact,

which relates to the impact of ac-rimonious factional partisan poli-tics on governance. No politicalgroup deliberately seeks extinc-tion; members of a politicalgroup, therefore, seek to surviveand to be relevant. And becausethose who are in government, inparticular, elected officials andsome of their aides, belong to apolitical party, tension and crisiswithin the party generate theirown heat and distraction. In somecases, the acrimony degeneratesto political warfare. And in war,fair is foul, and foul is fair. The

factions deploy various meansand resources to outdo each other.

Those who have access tohigher authority in the context ofour federalism do not hesitate toinvoke those powers that havesometimes be derided as “AbujaMight,” which includes the mis-use of security forces and thelaunch of a relentless witch-huntby certain government agencies,particularly those that are capa-ble of embarrassing and harmingthe reputation of members of theopposing faction. A man with hisroof on fire can barely be ex-pected to have the presence ofmind to confront the daily chal-lenges of governance. All this, toa large extent, can explain whygovernance was hamstrung inEdo State, especially from thesecond half of 2004 until May2007 when the issue of who suc-ceeds the Governor, became themain agenda.

The third major challenge thatseriously affected the perform-ance of the Government was thefinances available to it at thattime. We had earlier mentionedthat the internally generated rev-enue when the administrationcame on board was 27million

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Pastor Osagie Ize Iyamu

opportunities”. Those who areactive on the social networkwould attest to the fact that theEdo Political Forum otherwiseknown as EPF has become a veri-table source of information gath-ering with lively, intelligent andcritical political discourse on thestate of affairs in Edo State byEdo people, especially those inthe diaspora.

I am also grateful and humbledthat I have been invited to speakon the topic “Political govern-ance in Edo State from 1999 tilldate”. I presume that my choiceas speaker must have been largelyinfluenced by the leading role Ihave, by the grace of God, beenfortunate to play in the govern-ance of the State from the timeunder reference till now. I wasChief of Staff to the PDP Gover-nor of Edo State from 1999 to2003 and Secretary to Govern-ment from 2003 to 2007 underthe same administration. I havealso played an active role in theemergence of the ACN Adminis-tration that took over from thePDP government from 2008 tilldate.

It is important to note that intalking about Edo State as it istoday as a political entity, creditmust be given to our foundingfathers, who in 1981 started themovement for the creation of thestate; a dream that came into re-ality on 27th August, 1991, whenthe then Bendel State was splitinto Edo and Delta states by themilitary administration of Presi-dent Ibrahim Babangida. It iscommendable to note that ObaAkenzua II, of blessed memory,spearheaded the creation of Mid-west Region from the then West-ern Region, while his son, OurRoyal Majesty, Oba Erediauwa,the Oba of Benin coordinated thecreation of Edo State fromBendel State. My late Father,Chief R. O. Ize-Iyamu, the thenEsogban of Benin Kingdom, do-nated his building at number 32Erie Street, Benin City, as theState Secretariat for the Move-ment for the creation of EdoState.

Edo state is peopled largely bythe Benins, Esans, Etsakos,Owans and Akoko-Edos, with allthe ethnic groups genealogicallytracing their origins to the ancientkingdom of Benin, which showsin the relative homogeneity of thepeople in the cultural and linguis-tic affinities. The Benin-speakingpeople occupy the South senato-rial district; the Esans are domi-ciled in the Central Senatorialdistrict; while Afemai land com-prising Etsako, Owan andAkoko-Edo are in the northernsegment of the State.

I congratulate the awardeeswho are illustrious sons anddaughters of Edo Land and have

“I would specially appreciate Dr S O Ogbemudia who iswidely regarded as the architect of Midwest region, BendelState and now Edo State. His legacies in office are still visiblefor all to see and appreciate. Professor Ambrose Alli, of blessedmemory, must also be applauded for the bold steps he took tomake Bendel State the number one State in Nigeria.”

1 7 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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ate: 1999 Till Date��

ra a month. The revenue ac-ng from then Federation ac-nt was barely enough to pay

aries. It would interest you tow that the total funds receivedng Prof Osunbor’s adminis-on that commenced 29th May7, and ended 9th November8, a period of just eighteennths was a lot more than whatef Lucky Igbinedions admin-ation received totalling his lastr years; 2003-2007.he prevailing public verdict,

wever, especially in the media,

for the first time since the Uni-versity was established in 1981,graduates from its Medicalschool were inducted into theMedical profession.

· The moribund College ofAgriculture, Iguoriakhi; and Col-lege of Education Igueben wereresurrected and made functional.A new College of Technologywas established at Usen.

· Handing over of missionschools like Baptist High School(BHS) and Immaculate Concep-tion College (ICC), both in Benin

Uteze, Ulegun and Ukhirin 2 inIkpoba Okha Local Governmentarea amongst others.

· Many roads were reha-bilitated but unfortunately, with-out proper drainage. Interlockingtiles were used in the construc-tion of Igun and Evbareke Street.The cry of poor infrastructure inthe State had to do with roads,and all blame was heaped on theState Governor, notwithstandingwhether the roads in questionbelonged to the state, local, orfederal government. Wheneverthe State Government pleadedpaucity of funds, the people goteven angrier.

Another area where the admin-istration really received publiccondemnation was the mass re-trenchment of workers in the year2000. Government unable tocope with salary payment wasmisled to believe that downsizingthe workforce will reduce thehuge wage bill and give Govern-ment some respite. When I learntof this plan, I pleaded passion-ately with the Governor not toimplement it because of the con-sequences that lay ahead. Apartfrom the trauma to be suffered bythose prematurely retired, and theunpopularity the action wouldbring to the Governor, I knewgovernment could not at that timepay the gratuity and pensions ofthose affected. I was howeveroverruled by the then AttorneyGeneral, who surprisingly hadboth the support of the then Headof Service and the Chairman,Civil Service Commission. TheGovernor believing that he hadgotten expert advice imple-mented the plan, and like I feared,the outcome was disastrous.Thousands of workers lost theirjobs and when they demanded fortheir gratuities or even monthlypensions, government was un-able to pay. Naturally, they laidsiege at Government House andeveryday became one demonstra-tion or the other. The Governor,to be fair to him, later apologizedto Edo people confessing that thedecision was a mistake but thedamage had been done

When the administration an-nounced the launch of a vigorouscampaign against human traffick-ing, and the then First Lady, MrsEki Igbinedion formulated it intoher pet project; there were loudvoices of resistance, claiming thatthe government had come to denypeople of their means of suste-nance, since they were depend-ent on the remittances from Italy.Considering the pervasive igno-rance of the wider implicationsof human trafficking, and on theculture of Edo people, the resist-ance was understandable. But itproduced many other conse-quences. It conditioned people toresist, and to at the least oppor-

tunity attack the state govern-ment, and in particular, the Gov-ernor. There were snide remarksthen, that the Governor had notflushed out those in the red-lightdistrict opposite his father’shouse, across the road from awell-known hotel, yet he wasconcerned about those abroad,who were “feeding” those athome.

The government was not de-terred. A law was passed againsthuman trafficking; an aggressivereorientation programme waslaunched throughout the State,while skills acquisition centreswere established to trainreturnees, and also equip others,so they could fend for them-selves, rather than trade their bod-ies. Today, far fewer Edo girls areinvolved in international prosti-tution than was the case in 1999.Although some of the girls rou-tinely arrested and repatriatedthese days claim to be from EdoState, on more rigorous interro-gation, they are found to be im-postors, from elsewhere otherthan Edo. In any event, Edofamilies no longer wear it as astatus symbol that they are send-ing, or have sent, their daughterto Italy, or anywhere else for thatmatter, to go and earn moneywith their bodies.

The administration equallyventured into industrialisation,although I will admit that, in theend, the outcome was not satis-factory. The administration at thetime evaluated the economy, andreached the conclusion that,rather than being primary produc-ers, it was imperative to havevalue-addition, in order to mark-up the value of goods. That way,instead of wholesale reliance onimportation, we could have somefinished products in our localeconomy. Towards this end, theadministration took the equitabledecision of establishing one in-dustry in each of the three sena-torial districts in the state.

A Fertilizer Blending Plant wasestablished at Auchi; a CassavitaPlant at Uromi; and a Fruit JuiceFactory at Ehor. In deciding onthe ventures, the guiding princi-ple was to demonstrate what ispossible, and not necessarily forthe government to begin to runbusinesses, at a time when thevogue was privatisation. Thegovernment intended to set up theindustries, run them for a while,and then put them up for sale. Re-grettably, owing to poor feasibil-ity and execution, the policy didnot yield the intended beneficialresults.

On industrial harmony, it isuseful to note that by the time ofthe administration’s exit in May2007, the NLC and JNC, the In-dustrial Unions in the state organ-ised a send-forth event for the

state Governor, showering himwith praise for his worker-friendly policies, including theprompt payment of salaries andallowances, as well as the pay-ment of gratuities and pensionbenefits. This was in stark con-trast to the years when workersand pensioners wielded placardsand blocked highways in the statecapital, because their demandswere unmet by the State Govern-ment.

On the pursuit of social peaceas a priority by the administra-tion, it is important for us to re-call some of the deadly incidentsthat threatened the nation’s fab-ric in the early years of the FourthRepublic. There were frequent

Inter-ethnic clashes that wereas bloody as they were deadly.Towns and villages in someneighbouring states were evacu-ated while the wars lasted; busi-nesses closed; oil companiesscaled down their operationsdrastically. But Edo remained anoasis of peace, because the gov-ernment worked assiduously toensure that peace reigned. In fact,it was while other states were setablaze by inter-ethnic conflict,and Edo was a safe haven, that anumber of businesses fell for thelure of setting up in the state.Since then, they have remainedand grown.

What has however made it dif-ficult to defend the past adminis-tration is the silence of the formerChief Executive himself to cor-rect false and malicious accountsof his stewardship. The FormerGovernor has always been a manof few words but silence is notalways golden. In the world welive in, silence can easily be mis-construed.

Edo people have howevercome to see a new style and levelof political governance sinceOshiomhole came on board, af-ter upstaging Professor Osunborat the Court of Appeal. It has be-come very clear that personality,political dynamics and availabil-ity of resources all combine todefine the different era of politi-cal governance in the State since1999. Oshiomhole’s administra-tion has opened up the three sena-torial areas in the state with qual-ity roads and massive renovationof primary and secondaryschools, shut down the influenceof political godfathers and ex-panded the tax net to improveinternal resources and attractfunds to pay contractors execut-ing projects statewide. The suc-cess story has been tremendous,the feelings of Edo people pro-found and the impact on Edo po-litical equation very definitive asthe governor was voted mas-sively back into office for a sec-ond term earlier this year.

It is important for me to statethat despite my political activismand involvement in the adminis-tration, I was initially not amongthose appointed to serve in thegovernment when it came onboard in 1999. It is on record that

I was only appointed, when thepioneer Chief of Staff, Hon Vic-tor Ebomoyi, was made a com-missioner.

Yet, a lot of political punditsand media practitioners have re-peatedly described me as verypowerful in the administration.The answer is yes and no. First, Iwould declare no, because I hadno ministry or parastatal undermy supervision or powers toaward contracts in any form, andmy advice was subject to the dis-cretion of the Chief Executive.

But I would humbly concedeyes, to the extent that I deployedthe goodwill in the offices ofChief of Staff and SSG to helpresolve knotty problems for theAdministration and ensured im-proved labour relations withGovernment. I ensured the regu-larity of payments of the back-log of the salaries and allow-ances, assisted to resolve issueson promotions of civil servants,and became the frontline officerin Government to trust bystakeholders, traditional rulers,students and even market womenin negotiations. The labour un-ions later gave me an award foroutstanding service at the end ofmy tenure.

Besides, I deliberately utilizedthe goodwill in both political of-fices to jointly initiate, with thethen Commissioner for Health,Late Pharmacist Ovbiagele, theconstruction, equipping and com-missioning of the magnificentstate-owned Stella ObasanjoWomen and Children Hospital,off Sapele Road, Benin City:

· I was the Chairman ofEdo College rehabilitation com-mittee that raised funds from pub-lic spirited persons for the com-plete rehabilitation of Edo Col-lege, the premier secondaryschool in Edo State, which inci-dentally I also attended andwhich was in a deplorable stateand supervised the utilization ofthe funds realized in the renova-tion of the college;

· I also championed theconstruction of an imposing li-brary complex in Benin City,equipped with internet facilitiesand well stocked with books,journals and literature. The com-plex was also able to accommo-date the office of the Stock Ex-change in Edo State, while oneof the floors was leased to a bankfor commercial purposes.

I confess that I deliberatelymade the offices of the Chief ofStaff and SSG very accessible toall, because I realized that politi-cal office holders added to thepublic negative impressions ofpoliticians by shielding them-selves from the electorates withsecurity aides and overzealouspolitical hangers-on. This publicaccessibility was widely ac-knowledged and brought me andthe office to political prominence,which pundits and the media mis-construed when they perceivedme as being very powerful.

hat the administration failed toet the developmental expecta-ns of the citizens, who yearnedously for a new lease of lifehe reconstruction and rehabili-on of public infrastructures instate. The current massiveastructural transformation ofstate by the incumbent Gov-or, Comrade Adams

hiomhole, who has brought int of courage, vision and drivepolitical governance, has fur-

r put the past administrationsdimmer perspective. It would

unfair, however, to say that theef Lucky Igbinedion admin-ation achieved nothing.

The IGR moved fromnty seven million naira to 300lion. Salaries arrears wereared and salaries paid as anden due.

Stagnated promotionsre reviewed and some civilvants got three to four step pro-tions.

Edo State University thatbecome the national head-

rters for cult related activities sanitized, improved and re-

med Ambrose Alli UniversityAU). The Medical school ofUniversity was accredited and

City to their original owners re-stored the lost glory of thoseschools.

· Also a new modern hos-pital, built and furnished withstate of the art equipment inBenin City, was commissionedby the then President and namedStella Obasanjo Women andChildren Hospital.

· The Edo House Abujawas also successfully completedand commissioned.

· Edo State regained itslost glory in the area of sports,the Sam Ogbemudia SportsComplex was massively reno-vated to host the 13th NationalSports Festival, which was wonby Edo State.

· Several electrificationprojects were successfully com-pleted and they include the 33/415 KVA Ewohimi / Iyagun elec-tricity scheme in Esan SouthEast; the 11/415 KVA Uhenproject, Jagbe electrificationproject in Etsako West, the 33/415 KVA Ikpekhi and Somorikaelectrification projects in AkokoEdo and the 11/415 KVA Idogboelectricity scheme with a net-work to Oka, Egba, Obazagbon,

To be continued

“Edo people did not know the magnitude of the internal po-litical battle that raged between the Governor and the greedygodfathers. Definitely, the Governor did not have the combat-ive and no nonsense posture of the incumbent Governor, Com-rade Adams Oshiomhole, who with his progressive mentalityas an activist, also had to contend with the godfatherism syn-drome and ruthlessly dismantled their structure.”

1 8 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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Power RelationsBetween China & U.S.

The Osazua IvbazeOn Foreign Affairs

XI Jinping, Chinese Leader

08188922449Column

Barack Obama, US President

“Mutual respect is crucial in any bilateral relationship. For China and the US,whose social systems and ideologies are so different, it is particularly true. Mutualrespect in this case includes respecting each other’s core interests and major concernsas well as respecting each other’s social system, value set and development path.”CHINESE President Xi

Jinping and US PresidentBarak Obama held “ranchtalks” recently inCalifornia. The meetinglasted more than eighthours, in which the twoheads of state thoroughlyexchanged views andreached commonunderstanding on a widerange of big issues ofstrategic importance in acandid and straightforwardmanner. What is mostimportant is that the twoheads of state made a firmpledge to build a new typeof major power relationsbetween the two countriesand discussed pragmaticways to realize the newpositioning of the bilateralties, pointing the directionin which the two nationsshould develop theirrelations.

President Xi reiteratedthat China would followthe path of peacefuldevelopment no matterwhat. President Obamawelcomed China’scommitment to peacefuldevelopment as a majorpower. Xi emphasized thatChina and the US shouldbe able to forge a new typeof major power ties that isnot all about confrontationand rivalry and cited fivereasons, which are allconvincing and alsoexplain sufficiently why itis not a passing thought tobring up the new majorpower relations issue now.Obama agreed with Xi’ssummary of their talks. Hesaid the two countries arelooking at a uniqueopportunity to take theirbilateral relations toanother level and he wouldtry his best not to miss it.The pledge is of historicalsignificance to China-US

relations. It marks a newchapter in the history ofSino-American relationsand will inspire futuregenerations.

The two leaders alsodiscussed the connotationof the new type of majorpower relations. Xisummed it up in threeincisive phrases: noconfrontation or rivalry,mutual respect andcooperation for win-winresults.

The new type of majorpower relations is meantto blaze a new trail awayfrom the tragic path theworld has seen repeatedtime and again in majorpower politics where anestablished major powercompetes against and laterclashes with an emergingpower but ends upfighting each other in war.No confrontation orrivalry naturally is theessence of the new majorpower relationship. Toachieve it the two sidesmust first understand eachother as best they can,regarding each other’sstrategic objectivesrationally so as to avoidmisunderstanding ormisinterpreting them.Currently, the twocountries have more than90 platforms forexchanges andcommunication thatshould be able to facilitatedeeper mutualunderstanding well.However, there is the needto manage and controld i f f e r e n c e s .Confrontations areinvariably caused bydifferences, butdifferences do notnecessarily triggerclashes. Differencesshould be resolved

through dialogue toprevent confrontation.When an unexpectedincident occurs the twosides should do their bestto keep it from damagingthe integrity of theirbilateral ties and keep itsimpact as brief aspossible. Also, it is alwaysthe best to turn differencesinto cooperation. The twonations have already seensuccess in joint efforts torespond to climatechange. On the issue ofcyber security PresidentXi told his US counterpartthat the two countries haveformed working groupsand should put aside theirdifferences and focus oncooperation in makingInternet security a newhighlight of Sino-UScooperation. The twocountries should be able to

achieve no confrontationor rivalry by handlingdifferences properly.

Mutual respect is crucialin any bilateralrelationship. For Chinaand the US, whose socialsystems and ideologies areso different, it isparticularly true. Mutualrespect in this caseincludes respecting eachother’s core interests andmajor concerns as well asrespecting each other’ssocial system, value setand development path.Since President Nixon’sice-breaking visit toChina, the two countrieshave reached theunderstanding that Chinaand America have verydifferent social systemsand ideologies and do notlike the other’s system orvalues, but both recognize

the other side’s system andvalue set will stay in theforeseeable future andtheir ability to influencethe other side is limited.This commonunderstanding still standstoday.

Cooperation for win-winresults is an outstandingcharacteristic of foreignrelations in the era ofglobalization, as opposedto those of yesteryear. The19th century was the eraof carving out spheres ofinfluence and nationalinterests when China wasdivided into severalspheres of influence bysome major powers. Muchof the 20th century alsosaw major powers orsuperpowers vie for globaldomination. Since theCold War ended the worldhas entered the era of

peaceful development andglobalization hasgradually led nations to anew form of foreignrelations characterized bycooperation for win-winresults. Now, China andthe US find themselvesrelying on each othermore than ever. Buildinga new type of major powerrelations requirescontinuous efforts tobreak new grounds forcooperation and developcommon interests so thatboth peoples can benefitfrom their countries’bilateral relations.

By Tao Wenzhao, aResearcher for theInstitute of AmericanStudies at the ChineseAcademy of SocialSciences.

1 9 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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How To Prepare For One’sDeath (2)

Drumbeats WithApostle Dr.Raphael O.Ayemere

08035459593 ANOTHER way in

which you can successfullyprepare for your deathgracefully and joyfully is tomake Jesus Christ the Lordand Saviour of your life.

You can never have peace,joy and comfort with theowner of a house whom youcastigate and abuse daily. Godis our maker and the only wayto have access to Him is byrepenting of our sins andaccepting Jesus into our livesas our Personal Lord andSaviour. You can continue torefuse Jesus offer of salvation,peace and comfort which hefreely gave to humanity andexpect to die in peace andcomfort. Your peace andcomfort start manifesting inyour life from the day yougive your life to Jesus Christ.

Any man whoconsistently serves andfollows God faithfully willcertainly live happily on earthand die joyfully andpeacefully.

“For God so loved theworld, that he gave his onlybegotten son, thatwhosoever believeth in himshould not perish, but haveeverlasting life.

For God sent not his soninto the world to condemnthe world, but that theworld through him might besaved.

He that believeth on himis not condemned, but hethat Believeth not iscondemned already,because he hath not believedin the name of the onlybegotten son of God”. John3v16-18.

If a man offers you onebillion dollars will you refuseit? I am sure the first thing youwill do is to organize a partyand call your friends andneigbours to come and rejoicewith you. Maybe you mighteven beg your pastor andpriest to create a space for youduring church service in orderfor you to thank God and theperson that gave you themoney that has brought backjoy and peace into your lifeand family. I am also very surethat you will remain gratefuland loyal to the man orwoman that gave you themoney the rest of your life.

If one billion dollars willaffect your destiny positively,don’t you think that the freegift of salvation which Godgave you through the death ofJesus Christ is worth morethan one billion dollars?

It is a common knowledgethat men value what they payfor. That of course, is thefoolishness of men. Thewealthy and the mostsuccessful men and women

would have found itcomfortable to serve Godfaithfully, if they were givingthe opportunity by God to payfor their salvation.

There is no repentance inthe grave, The only time andperiod for your repentanceand forgiveness of sin is now.Now that you still haveopportunity to live, do yourbusiness activities and see thenext day is the time of yourremorse and repentance ofsin.

Won’t you be glad to seeand reign together in heavenwith Moses, Abraham, David,Samuel, the twelve disciplesof Jesus and with all the saintsthat died in Christ? As for meand my house we will servethe Lord all the days of ourlife and die gracefully andreign with Jesus Christ inheaven forever.

Make Restitution Any man or woman who

is willing and ready to diepeacefully, gracefully andjoyfully must be willing tomake restitution of his or herpast or present activities onearth.

What have you stolen ortaken from anybodyforcefully? Is it money,property, gold, silver or yourfriend’s wife or yourneigbour’s husband? This isthe time and place to makerestitution of all that you havetaken from your neigbourforcefully. The right time tosay sorry for your badbehaviour is now and the rightplace is here on earth,Restitution don’t exist inheaven; neither doesrepentance of our sins exist inheaven. You cannot makeother people sad, unhappy andin lack of shelter, money andcomfort and expect God toreceive your soul in peace, joyand gracefully in heaven.

God is not the author ofconfusion. You cannot takeaway the joy of a widow or awidower and expect God to behappy with you. Go and makerestitution of that child youkilled during your armedrobbery operation, makerestitution of that innocentman and woman you killed.

In making restitution itcould even jeopardize yourlife or expose you to treath ofdeath and discomfort, butobey the Lord and see if Godwill not fight for you anddefend you.

“And Jesus entered andpassed through Jericho. And,behold, there was a mannamed Zaccheuss, which

was the chief among thepublicans, and he was rich.

And he sought to see Jesuswho he was; and could not forthe press, because he was littleof stature.

And he ran before, andclimbed up into a sycamoretree to see him, for he waspass that way.

And when Jesus came tothe place he looked up, andsaw him, and said unto himZacchens, make haste, andcome down, for today I mustabide at thy house.

And he made haste, and

came down, and received himjoyfully. And when they sawit, they all murmured, saying;that he was gone to be guestwith a man that is a sinner’:

And Zaccheus stood, andsaid unto the lord, behold,Lord, the half of my goods Igive to the poor; and if I havetaken any thing from any manby false accusation, I restore

him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him,

this day is salvation come tothis house, for so much as healso is a son of Abraham.“Luke 19v1-9.

From the above passageof the scripture you can seethat Zaccheus maderestitution to God and alsodeclared to Jesus that he waswilling to restore publicly toanybody he had wrongfully orforcefully taken anythingfrom. You and I are noexception to restitution whichGod demands fromeverybody after salvation andrepentance of sin.

I totally agree that theblood of Jesus had washed

your sins away the momentyou repented of your sins andmade Jesus Christ the Lordand saviour of your life, butthe truth is that God alsorequires us to make peacewith those we have offendedand wrongfully taken theirpossessions and joy.

FORGIVE PEOPLE

WHO HAVE OFFENDEDYOU AND

ASK THOSE WHO YOUHAVE OFFENDED TOFORGIVE YOU

Heaven is not like ourearthly Universities thatrequire our intelligence,connection or manipulation toenter, neither is it like ourchurch thrown open to thegood, the bad, the ugly and thebeautiful.

One of the majorrequirements for enteringheaven is your ability toforgive people who haveoffended you, insulted you,abused you, castigated yourname publicly andmisunderstood you.

Your ability to forgivepeople of their offencesagainst you also make God toforgive you. During the periodof Jesus crucifixion, with painand blood rushing out fromhis body he still had thecourage to ask his heavenlyfather to forgive the peoplewho had offended him,crucified him innocently anddisgraced him publicly. If youwere Jesus that had the powerto kill and make alive wouldyou have allowed yourself todie for the sin of others andasked for forgiveness for yourcreatures? If I were Jesus myfirst reaction would been tokill my enemies before theykilled me.

As you show mercy toothers by forgiving them oftheir offences against you,also seek for people who youhave offended and ask fortheir forgiveness and mercytoward you.

“Then came Peter to him,and said, Lord, how oftenshall my brother sin againstme, and I forgive him? Tillseven times?

Jesus saith unto him, I saynot unto thee, until seventimes, but, until seventy timesseven.

Therefore is the kingdomof heaven liked unto a certain

king which would takeaccount of his servants.

And when he had began toreckon, one was brought untohim, which owed him tenthousand talents.

But for as much he has notto pay, his Lord commandedhim to be sold, and his wifeand children, amid all that hehad and payment to be made.

The servant therefore felldown, and worshiped him,saying, Lord, have patiencewith me, amid I will pay theeall.

Then the Lord of thatservant was moved withcompassion, and loosed him,and forgave him the debt.

But the same servant wentout, and found one of hisfellow servants which owedhim and hundred pence, andhe had laid hands on hint, andtook him by the throat, saying,pay me that thou owest.

And his fellow servant felldown on his feet, andbesought hint, saying, havepatience with me, and l willpay thee all.

And he would not, butwent and cast him into prison,till he should pay the debt

So when his fellowservant saw what was done,they were very sorry, andcame and told unto their Lordall that was done

Then his Lord, after thathe had called him, said untohim, o thou wicked servant, Iforgave thee all that debt,because thou desiredst me.

Shouldest not thou alsohave had compassion on thyfellow servant, even as I hadpity on thee?

And his Lord was wroth,and delivered him to thetormentors, till he should payall that was due unto him

So likewise shall myheavenly father do also untoyou, if ye from your heartforgive not every one of hisbrother their trespasses”.Matthew 18:21-35

From the above passageof the scriptures you can seethe danger that awaits peoplewho fail to genuinely forgiveanyone of their trespasses orsin against them.

You are very much awarethat Jesus Christ never jokedwith any of his words? Hesays what he means andmeans what he says.

I urge you to shun any actof unforgiveness in your lifeand live a life worthy ofemulation.

“Any man or woman who is willing and ready to diepeacefully, gracefully and joyfully must be willing tomake restitution of his or her past or present activitieson earth. What have you stolen or taken from anybodyforcefully? Is it money, property, gold, silver or yourfriend’s wife or your neigbour’s husband? This is thetime and place to make restitution of all that you havetaken from your neigbour forcefully.”

2 0 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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��Arts: The Essence, Values

And MisconceptionBy OLAYEMI OKENIYINDIDI Emefiele, an artist,

is the first to admit that mostNigerians do not view art asa prestigious field ofendeavour.

“I remember after putting infor art in the university,someone told me that I wasgoing to become one of thoseartists selling their arts andprints by the roadside.

“At that point in time, thepublic appreciation for artwas negligible, compared towhat it is right now, but I wasso determined,’’ she said.

Besides, Emefiele recalledthat at a point in time, she waspersuaded to studyarcheology which, accordingto some people, is similar toart because she had highgrades in science subjects.

“Along the line, I quicklyrealised that archeology andart were two completelydifferent things. At that point,I left the science class afterthree weeks and switched tothe arts class but my parentssupported me.

“I’ll always appreciate thefact that my parents gave eachand every one of theirchildren the power to do whatwe wanted to do,’’ she said.

Nowadays, artists likeEmefiele are reaping thebenefits of not succumbing tothe general perception thatpeople could only besuccessful and fulfilled if theyengage in certain vocationssuch as medicine andaccounting, among others.

Since Emefele began topractice, she had taken part inover 30 group exhibitions andshe said that she would holdher second solo exhibition inJuly.

“Out of about 47 paintingsdisplayed during my first soloexhibition, only three or fourare still around; the rest havebeen sold to Nigerians,’’ shesaid.

Emefiele said that there wasa period when art was purely

a pastime of the elite, adding,however, that nowadays,everyone wanted to own an artpiece, as Nigerians loved goodthings.

She stressed that the fact thatone of her paintings, whichwas displayed during anauction with a starting price ofN300,000, was eventuallysold for N650,000 somewhatillustrated the dramaticgrowth of the art industry.

She said that in spite of theseveral feats recorded by theold Nigerian arts, the rest ofthe world still neededcontemporary Nigerian arts.

Emefiele recalled that sheparticipated in a career day,recently organised by a schoolin Abuja, adding that she wasthen convinced that manychildren were actuallyconsidering taking up a careerin art.

She cited the African Artsand Crafts Expo (AFAC),recently held in Abuja topromote art among youngtalents, as another illustrationof the spectacular growth ofNigeria’s art industry.

Mr. Steven Eruada, thePublic Relations Officer of theAbuja Arts and Craft Village,said that increasing publicawareness at the grassrootshad stimulated severalbudding artists to showcasetheir works during theexposition.

Eruada said that the exposerved as a tool for promotingand forging the country’sunity as well as nationalidentity.

“The public and privatesector should concertedlywork for the improvement ofthe country’s arts and culturesector because art works fromall the nooks and crannies ofNigeria would aid efforts torevamp the country’s tourismsector,’’ he said.

Contrary to opinions incertain quarters as to thegovernment’s apathy towardthe promotion of the art

industry, President GoodluckJonathan is reportedlydetermined to use arts as a toolfor national development.

“The president isdetermined to diversifysources of revenuegeneration, with a view to

effectively respond to thechallenges of job creation andrural economictransformation,’’ Chief EdemDuke, the Minister of Culture,Tourism and NationalOrientation, said.

Duke said that AFAC hadshowcased a structuredexhibition of talent andcreativity, particularly in the

areas of product design,finishing, packaging andpresentation.

“All these are aimed atmeeting the global marketstandards and bringing thebenefits accruable from thecrafts industry to bear on the

national economy.“The expo will help

exhibitors to share idea andnetwork with otherpractitioners in areas relatingto their competence; theexhibitors will also be able tomeet prospective investors,’’he added.

Stakeholders, nonetheless,insist the government’s efforts

to promote arts should becomplemented withcommitted and sustainedinvestments in arts’preservation.

At a recent book launch, theObi of Onitsha, IgweNnaemeka Achebe, urgedstakeholders in the arts andculture sector to undertakeproper archiving, evaluationand preservation of theirworks.

The Obi urged all thecitizens to imbibe the cultureof documentation andevaluation of Nigerian arts

and culture; insisting that thesector ought to be guardedjealously.

However, Mr. OvieOmatsola, the ExhibitionDirector of Thought PyramidArt Centre, noted that themaintenance and upkeep ofart institutions requiredconsiderable governmentsupport.

He suggested that childrenshould be exposed to art inmuseums and galleries,saying that such exposurewould engender a betterappreciation of arts andcultural heritage in thecountry.

Omatsola, nonetheless,rejected the notion thatcontemporary Nigerian artssomewhat imitated Westernart traditions, saying that theinfluence of the two arttraditions on each other wasbi-dimensional.

“They influence us and wedo the same to them, we havebeen doing that for centuries.For example, the legendaryPicasso’s paintings were

inspired by Africansculptures.

“Look at the masks andobjects we have had in ourshrines for decades, they aresimilar to art installations inmuseums abroad today.

“Contemporary Europeanarts are similar to our artsyears ago and when you lookat our paintings today, youwill see that some of theinspiration comes from theWestern world.

“There are some peoplewho believe that art is solelyfor decoration, while anothergroup has passion for art

works; the second groupcollects art pieces, not just fordecoration but because theylove art.

“More recently, in schoolsthey are attaching more valueto art than they used tobecause art is part of ourheritage.

“Artists look at people andtheir ways of life; it is whatthe artist sees that hetranslates into their canvases,paper and even sculpturalpieces.

“Art tells the story of ourheritage; so, if we lose it, welose our heritage and if artiststoday do not portray ourstories, what will we give tothe future generations?’’ heasked.

All the same, industrywatchers underscore the needfor the government to initiatespecific programmes aimed atenhancing the development ofNigerian arts.

They also urge thegovernment to promote thedevelopment of museumsacross the country so as toboost the growth of the artsand culture sector.

“Artists look at people and their ways of life; it iswhat the artist sees that he translates into theircanvases, paper and even sculptural pieces. Art tellsthe story of our heritage; so, if we lose it, we loseour heritage and if artists today do not portray ourstories, what will we give to the future generations?’’

2 1 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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Issues

By EMMANUEL EGOBIAMBU

Addressing ChallengesOf Widowhood

GLOBALLY, June 23every year is set aside tomark the InternationalWidows Day. It is a dayadopted by the UnitedNations General Assemblyon the 21st December,2013 “to give specialattention to the situation ofwidows and theirchildren”. According to UNSecretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon. “We must recognisethe important contributionof widows, and we mustensure that they enjoy therights and socialinternationals theydeserve”. He continuedthus: Death is inevitable,but we can reduce thesuffering that widowsensure by raising theirstatus and helping them intheir hour of need. According to theUniversal Declaration ofHuman Rights, Article Istates that all humans areborn free and equal indignity and rights. Article2 went further to that theserights are entitlements toeveryone irrespective ofrace, sex, religion and otheraffiliation. However, despite thesefundamental rights to allhumans, widows have overthe years experiencedunpleasant treatments thathave reduced them toobjectives of abuse. Everywoman goes into marriageafter saying. “I do” with hisheartthrob not to sufferfrom abuses. However, inmost cases, this dream of ahappy marriage is cut shortby death. This results inwidowhood that oftencomes with unbearable. In several places,widowhood is associationwith ignoble acts. It is noteven the widows alone thatface these challenges, theirchildren are also affected.In a report on AlertNet, aThomson ReutersFoundation Service, many

women’s loss of husband isonly the first traumatic stepin a long-term ordeal thatwill see them lose status,income, personal safetyand security. In most parts of thecountry, once the husband(woman’s) dies, her hair isshaved. The widow isaccused as the one behindthe death of her husband.In other scenario, thewidow might be killed bythe community or familymembers of her husbandfor “killing their brother”. Furthermore, in someparts of Nigeria, widow areforced to bathe with ordrink the water used tobathe the corpse and mayeven be locked up with thecorpse in locked up rooms(Amaechina Sopulu). While in NorthernNigeria, widows becomethe “inheritance” of theirhusbands relatives. This,does happen within two orthree weeks after the burialrites. According to AliuAhmadu, “she is not giventhe opportunity to fullyrecover from the shock ofher husband’s death beforeshe starts to play conjugalroles to another husband,also a member of her latehusband’s family”. Again, immediately afterthe death of husband’ssome widows are strippedof their husband’sproperties. The lands,houses and other propertiesowned by some widowshusband, are fought for byrelatives of the husband. Tothese relatives, the “womandid not come with anythingto the house, so why goingout or having anything?”The tussle is so much that

heads are made to roll insome instance. The widowis left without anything totake care of her household.This leaves her at the

mercy of anybody andeverybody. Similarly, poverty is a bigproblem facing widows.AlertNet reported that inmost countries, widows arenot granted access to loans

or economic resources. Thesituation is so terrible thateven when they are giventhe loans, the interest ratesand collateral are not

commensurate with theloan(s). As the world marks theInternational Widow Day,it is imperative to addressthese horrible situationsthat they (widows), pass

through. These ones(widows), are humans like

other people and shouldtherefore be treated as such.

“Again, immediately after the death of husband’s somewidows are stripped of their husband’s properties. Thelands, houses and other properties owned by some widowshusband, are fought for by relatives of the husband.”

Hajia Zainab Maina, Women Affairs Minister

It is their right to see the light.Ah, it is the fightthat all must fightto give them lifethat have not been made all right.Take up the mantleto make them chuckle.Give them the chanceby stripping them of the violence.Fight the ignorancethat brings them annoyance.Fight against the ignoranceto raise awareness about the anomalous conditions ofwidows!.

This writer would end this piece of workwith a poem he composed.

“Furthermore, in some parts ofNigeria, widow are forced tobathe with or drink the waterused to bathe the corpse and mayeven be locked up with the corpsein locked up rooms”

2 2 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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Environment

By ERNEST OMOARELOJIE

Climate Change And Environment: The Edo OptionAS a country, Nigeria has

its fair share of ecologicalchallenges. The mostobvious indicator is thatthere are in each of the sixgeo political zones evidentmanifestations of thedevastation which is more orless threatening to overrun ahuge chunk of the country’slandscape. In particularwhile the North iscontending with anunprecedented challengedespite having a tougherlandscape with greater levelof resistance, the moreerosion prone South Eastand South - South are havingtheir very existencethreatened by the menace.The case with Edo state is,for several reasons, verypeculiar.

Situated along thecountry’s slow lying belt, hestate has had its fair share ofthe destructive impact.However, for reasons of themuch talked about rise inglobal temperature, whichresulted in warmer climate,it became one of therecipients of a massivevolume of rainfall thatrecently inundated not justits coastal belts but also anumber of areas in thehinterland hitherto free fromerosion. Thus, the state hashad to contend withattendant challenges that lefta number of communities’previously conversant milderosion becoming soravaged that residents wereforced to relocate to safergrounds. Whereas the statewas in the past able to handlethe challenge, the scale ofthe challenge under reviewwas so overwhelming that itpractically put the state on itskneels. This is evident incase of Queen Ede, inOgbesanwan quarters,within Benin City, the statecapital.

Determined to find alasting solution to the

menace, the government setaside the sum of N500million to fund a rescueproject. However, due to thefact that the amount isgrossly inadequate for theproject, it began the searchfor a viable partnercounterpart with the abilityto provide counterpartfunding. It approached thefederal government with anappeal to have the projectbankrolled with counterpartfunding from the ecologicalfunds. But like many of itsother requests, the federalgovernment turned it down.The state governor,Comrade Adams AliyuOshiomhole, made this pointwhile receiving officials ofthe bank. According to him,“We have also talked withthe federal government todraw from the ecologicalfund to deal with it. Againthat has not been successful.Our final hope now is thebank. We are hoping thatyou sill help us out and haveit fixed.”

Next, the state went in thedirection of the World Bank,the global financialinstitution not known forgiving consideration tofrivolous administrations.Thankfully, the bankreceived the request withopen hands and as a mark ofits readiness to do theneedful, sent its assessmentteam to Benin City, the statecapital, with a view toascertaining the requiredlevel of assistance. So far, ifthe team’s timeous visit,inspection of the affectedareas and comments madethereafter are anything to goby, it appears clear that thestate’s request for assistanceis not only receiving promptand favourable responses,hope is rising that at last,succour may be on its way.

Interestingly, the

partnership interest shownby the global financialinstitution may not beunconnected with itsconviction that the stategovernment is genuinelycommitted to carrying outdevelopment programmewith direct impact on thelives of the people. Not leastimportant is the seriousnesswith which the governor hasundertaken the search for aviable partner. Put mildly,

both qualities are no doubtthe stuff required to instillconfidence on discerningpartners. Given thestatement made by BenoitBosque, leader of the bank’svisiting team that the statehas proven its seriousness bybeing one of the few toseriously approached it for

assistance, it can be deducedthat both factors playedimportant roles that swayedthe bank into declaring itsreadiness to assist the state.According to Bosque, “Edostate is among the firstrunners. You are doing yourbit. There are still a few stepsto be taken. I am sure thatsoon most of the state levelactions would have beentaken by ensuring that fullmanagement of the statewould be in place and theeffectiveness condition

would be met very soon. Weexpect that next week, Edowould receive the firstinstallment of thepreparation advance andfinally, the cash will startflowing from Washington toBenin City.”

Such comment cannot butbe seen as one of the most

reassuring gifts the peopleof Edo state can hope for interms of real timegovernance. It is doublyassuring because inaccepting to assist the stategovernment, the globalfinancial institution ispassing another importantvote of confidence on thecomrade governor ’sadministration, furtherreinforcing the widely heldbelief that in terms ofimpact, the state under hisleadership has witnessed the

greatest number of real timep e o p l e - o r i e n t e ddevelopment projects.Indeed, the expectation nowis that besides upping theante in the governor ’sconfidence vote, theexpected assistance willprovide a permanentsolution to the gully that isthreatening to drive QueenEde and its environs intoextinction. Certainly, thetask will not be an easy onebut as the governor puts it,the task is before the bank.“I have come to show themthe problem and they arecoming to carry out a fullstudy. This is not likeputting up PHCN or

generator. You need to carryout proper study before youcan start to address theproblem. There is noovernight solution.”

The governor ’sdetermination to find aviable partner goes a longway in proving that hiscommitment to deliveringquality developmentservices to the people islimitless. This is a positionin which many observers ofthe state’s developmentevolution are united. In the

main, they have oftenlikened his performance tothat of Chief SamuelOsaigbovo Ogbemudia, theman given the credit forlaying the foundation for thepresent Edo state. Until hiscoming, they observed,those who held democraticleadership positions simplychose to pursue selfishinterests rather than build onthe legacies of the formermilitary administrator as thecomrade is doing. Indeed,his decision to solicit theassistance of the World Bankis another proof of hisresolve to make the state thecynosure of all eyes in termsof real development.

“Interestingly, the partnership interest shown by theglobal financial institution may not be unconnected withits conviction that the state government is genuinelycommitted to carrying out development programme withdirect impact on the lives of the people.”

2 3 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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Agriculture

By OLUMESE MARK

Understanding Snail Farming (1)What is snail farming?SNAIL farming is a

very important businessthat does not require muchlabour, capital, drug orvaccine and feeding. It ispossible to combine snailfarming with other formsof farming especiallyrubber farming which hascloseness to naturalhabitat condition of snails. Simply put, snailfarming is thedomestication or rearingof snails in an artificialenvironment. It entailsprovision of good housingand feeding for snails toachieve optimum growthand reproduction. Snails are invertebrateswith a soft flesh but witha hard shell at its back thatmoves very slowly andfeed on green leaves.Snails are haema phroditehaving both the male andfemale organs in oneannual. Some breeds of snailsare:-1. African giantsnail (Archachatinamarginata. Yoruba name:Igbui apininre, Igboname; Ejior Ejila, Edoname; Egile, Englishname; African giant snail.It can lay between 4-8 ormore eggs per clutch. Itcan grow to a size of 0-5

kg – 1kg at very matureage.2. A r c h a t i n aarchatinal Yoruba name;Ilako, Isan name;Agimisu. The breed ismostly common on theEastern Nigeria and therepublic of benin. It canlay between 100-300eggs per clutch. It canattain 35g at mature liveweight Archtina papyracae: it is small in sizeand lays between 4-16eggs per clutch andweigh between 20-40g atmaturity.3. L i m i c o l a n i aspecies: It is the smallestedible land snail of theimoist forest bell ofmagevia and weighsbetween 7 to over 14g atmaturity, laying between20 to over 50 eggs persite selection for snailrearing: It is advisable toselect good soils withhigh organic matter thatcould support goodgrowth and developmentof snails. In addition, thecalcium and watercontent of the soil shouldbe high and such solsshould be loose intexture. Heavy clageysoil that be comes water

logged in rainy seasonsshould not be selected forrearing snails sources offoundation stocks forbreading snails. It is recommended forany one who want to rearsnails to contact thesesources for foundationstocks namely:(a) Snail farmers(b) Research institutes(c) Markets(d) Hawkers(e) Direct from the bush.Housing of Snails. Type of snail will dependon scale of the snailfarming enterprise, in-doorand outdoor snail evy, thestage of development andhabits of the snail.Individuals can constructtheir snailenes according tothe available materials attheir disposal and theirfinancial capabilities. The ADP, we recommendthese types of houses forrearing snails:(1) Basket(2) Tiers of tyre(3) Used drum(4) Used Tank(5) Low fenced pen(6) High fenced pen(7) Pot under intensive

system of rearing snails.Breeding pen: This is asingle or multi chamberwooden box with lid using

strong planks as floor, andraised on four legs of 2fthigh. The lid is an openingcovered with wire meltingor nylon mesh to improveaeration and visibility ofcontent. The bottom isperforated to permit drain-off. The floor is filled withsieved black soil to adepth of slightly limed(caco 3). The soil should bechanged once every twoor three months. The four

legs are cupped in emptytins placed on largercontainer in whichdisinfectant solution orkerosene is poured fromtime to time to present

insect from intruding. The pen could be placedunder rubber trees orunder a shade palm fronts.Breeding pen is used as alaying unit, hatching unitand as intensive rearingunit for young snails. 2. Mini-padelock pen:Is a type of housing forsnails. This can be builtwith either nylon mesh orconcrete blocks. For thenylon type, the sides andtop are covered with nylonmesh upon timber frame.One roll of nylon meshwill be sufficient for aminipaddock penmeasuring 6ft wide by21ft bag, and 2ft high.Floor shelter such aspieces of abbestorsroofing sheets should beprovided. Large leavesspread in the pens willserve the same function.The concrete type iscovered with woodendoor on which is acovering of wire meshingor mosquito nettings foradequate ventilation andtemperature regulation.The floor should be filledto a depth of 6 – 8 cm withcraving soil. Mini-paddcok pens are ideal asfattening pens. 3. Moveable pen: This ismade of wooden frames

covered with nylon meshon the sides, the meshextends over most of thetop, leaving an openingfor access. A fold of meshsuspended from the top

access way prevents snailsfrom escaping the bottommay be covered with 1x12expanded metal with wiremesh. This is used asexhibition pens.4. Free – range pen: Thisis a large fenced area,which can be built byusing wire meshing andmosquito netting. A dooris constructed at theentrance of the pen. Thepen is about 2.5-3.0 cmhigh. It can containbetween 200 – 5000matured snails, dependingon the size of the pen.Cocoyam, water leavesand sweet potatoes couldbe planted inside to serveas food and shelter for thesnail. The snails areallowed to move over theentire area. However, because oftheir large size, there isdifficulty in locating eggslaid and small snail cannotbe properly accounted for. In the next edition, theauthor will focus oneconomic importance ofsnails, feeding androutine. The writer is the zonalmanager of Edo StateAgricultural DevelopmentProgramme, Central ZoneIrrua, Nigeria.

To be continued.

2 4 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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Cameron Wants Probe Into NewClaims On Racist Murder

Syria Rebels Renew Fight ForAleppo

Germany InvestigatesCommander Of Nazi-Led Unit

Compiled byOKHUELEIGBE FAITH

Free Syrian Army fighters prepare mortars at the frontline in the Sidi Meqdad area inthe suburbs of Damascus,

UK Police Arrest Brother InAlps Killing

DAMASCUS - Syrian rebelsbattled President Bashar al-Assad’s forces in and aroundthe northern city of Aleppo onSunday, seeking to reversegains made by loyalist forces inthe commercial hub over thelast two months, activists said.

The fighting, by a variety ofinsurgent groups, happened asFrance urged moderate rebelsto wrest territory back fromradical Islamists whose role inthe fight to topple Assad posesa dilemma for Westerncountries concerned that armsshipments could fall into thehands of people it considersterrorists.

The 11 Western and Arabcountries known as the“Friends of Syria” agreed onSaturday to give urgent militarysupport to the rebels, channeledthrough the Western-backedSupreme Military Council in abid to prevent arms getting toIslamist radicals.

But radical forces showedthey remained formidable on

Sunday when the IslamistAhrar al-Sham brigadedetonated a car bomb at aroadblock at an entrance toAleppo killing at least 12loyalist soldiers, according tothe opposition Aleppo NewsNetwork and other activists inthe city.

Aleppo, 35 km (20 miles)south of Turkey, has beencontested since July last year,when rebel brigades entered thecity and captured about half ofit. In recent weeks, Assad hasfocused his military campaignon recapturing rebel-held areas.

He has also been expandingcontrol of the central provinceof Homs after capturing astrategic town on the borderwith Lebanon, and has usedheavy bombardment and siegewarfare to contain rebels dugin around the capital, accordingto opposition sources anddiplomats monitoring theconflict.

Firas Fuleifel, with the

moderate Islamist al-FarouqBrigade, said six rebel fighterswere killed in fighting inAleppo in the last day.

French President FrancoisHollande, whose country hasbeen at the forefront of Westernefforts to re-organize and backthe opposition, said moderaterebels must take territory heldby radical Islamists whoseinvolvement in the conflict, hesaid, gives Bashar al-Assad apretext for more violence.

“The opposition needs to winback control of these areas ...they have fallen into the handsof extremists,” Hollande told anews conference in the Doha aday after the Friends of Syriamet in the Qatari capital.

“If it seems that extremistgroups are present andtomorrow they could be thebeneficiaries of a chaoticsituation, it will be Bashar al-Assad who will seize on thispretext to continue themassacre,” Hollande said.

LONDON - David Cameroncalled yesterday for aninvestigation into claims thatpolice spied on the family of ablack teenager whose murder20 years ago exposed what aninquiry called “institutional

racism” in London’s policeforce.

In one of Britain’s highest-profile racial killings, StephenLawrence was stabbed to deathat a bus stop in southeastLondon in 1993. An inquestruled it had been an unprovokedattack by a gang of whiteyouths.

Not until last year was anyoneconvicted for the murder.

Now a former undercoverpolice office has said he wasasked to infiltrate the Lawrencefamily’s campaign for justice inthe years following the murder.

Cameron’s spokesman said ina statement: “The PrimeMinister is deeply concerned byreports that the police wantedto smear Stephen Lawrence’sfamily and would like theMetropolitan police toinvestigate immediately.”

In the Guardian newspaper,former undercover officer PeterFrancis said he spent four yearsposing as an anti-racistcampaigner after his superiors

tasked him with trying touncover information that couldbe used against the 18-year oldstudent’s parents.

Francis said senior officerswere afraid that anger at thefailure to launch a morethorough investigation into themurder would spiral intodisorder on the streets.

He monitored severalcampaigns, involving relativesof mostly black men who haddied in suspiciouscircumstances in policecustody.

He never met the Lawrencefamily but said he passed back“heresay” about them to hissuperiors.

He also said senior officerswitheld his undercover rolefrom Sir William Macpherson,who headed a public inquiry toexamine the policeinvestigation into the death.

Macpherson said in adamning 1999 report that thatinvestigation had been “marredby a combination of

professional incompetence,institutional racism and a failureof leadership by seniorofficers.”

The case still weighs onLondon’s police, despite anoverhaul of policies and anattempt to recruit more officersfrom ethnic minorities.

Francis’ claims follow a jointinvestigation between theGuardian and Channel 4’sDispatches programme. Arelated programme is scheduledto be broadcast in Britainyesterday evening.

London’s Metropolitan Policesaid in a statement that aninvestigation into its past use ofundercover police was alreadyunder way.

“At some point it will fallupon this generation of policeleaders to account for theactivities of our predecessors,but for the moment we mustfocus on getting to the truth,” itadded.

(Reporting by Sarah Young;editing by Stephen Addison)

BERLIN — Germanprosecutors said yesterdaythat they opened a formalpreliminary investigation of aMinnesota man who was acommander of a Nazi-led unitduring World War II, todetermine whether there isenough evidence to bringcharges and seek hisextradition.

The Associated Press foundthat 94-year-old MichaelKarkoc entered the U.S. in1949 by lying to Americanauthorities about his role inthe SS-led Ukrainian SelfDefense Legion, which isaccused of torching villagesand killing civilians inPoland. AP’s evidenceindicates that Karkoc was inthe area of the massacres,although no records link himdirectly to atrocities.

Kurt Schrimm, the head ofthe special Germanprosecutors’ officeresponsible for investigatingNazi-era crimes, saidprosecutors “have opened apreliminary investigationprocedure to examine thematter (and) seekdocumentation.” It wasunclear how long theirexamination might take.

Schrimm’s office isresponsible for determiningwhether there is enoughevidence against alleged Naziwar criminals for stateprosecutors to proceed witha full investigation andpossible charges. The onlycharges that can be broughtin such cases are murder andaccessory to murder, as allother offenses fall under thestatute of limitations under

German law.Germany has taken the

position that people involvedin Nazi crimes must beprosecuted, no matter howold or infirm, as it did in thecase of retired Ohioautoworker John Demjanjuk,who died last year at age 91while appealing hisconviction as a guard at theSobibor death camp.

Poland’s NationalRemembrance Institute,which investigates Nazi andSoviet crimes, has saidprosecutors are reviewingfiles on Karkoc’s unit for anyevidence that would justifycharges and an extraditionrequest.

It says the files weregathered during separateinvestigations into the killingsof civilians in the village ofChlaniow, in southeasternPoland, and into Nazisuppression of the 1944

Warsaw Uprising againstGerman occupation. The APfound documentationshowing that Karkoc’s unitwas involved in both.

Karkoc’s son, AndriyKarkos, has said that his father“was never a Nazi,” andpointed to the portion of theAP story that said recordsdon’t show Karkoc had adirect hand in war crimes. Hehas said the family won’tcomment further until it hasobtained its own documentsand reviewed witnesses andsources.

LONDON -The brother of aBritish-Iraqi man slain withthree other people last year in aremote area of the French Alpshas been arrested, according toBritish media reports yesterday.

The media, including the BBCand Sky News, identified theman arrested on suspicion ofconspiracy to commit murder asZaid al-Hilli.

Police would not mention al-Hilli by name but did confirmthat a 54-year-old man had beenarrested. Authorities in Britainrarely identify suspects whohaven’t been charged — butsuch statements are routinelyunderstood as confirmation ofmedia reports.

Saad al-Hilli, his wife, anelderly relative and a cyclist

were killed in the attack nearAnnecy last September but thecouple’s two young daughterssurvived. One was shot in theshoulder and severely beaten; theother was not physically harmed.

The young British sisters arethe only known witnesses to thecrime.

Family friends have describeda dispute between Zaid al-Hilliand his brother Saad al-Hilli overtheir father’s estate.

In France, prosecutor EricMaillaud told French TV that“overwhelming and writtenevidence leaves no doubt abouta violent family conflict thatpitted the two brothers againsteach other in the question of theirinheritance from their father.”

Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron speaks at the Conservative Party’s annualSpring Forum, in central London

International

2 5 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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Tenders are hereby invited from reputable contractors currently regis tered with thelocal government for the execution of the under listed projects on behalf of the LocalGovernment:i. Construction of 3 classroom/HM’s office and store at Odeije Primary School,

Eme— Ora.ii. Construction of 3 classroom/HM’s office and store at Eruere Primary School,

Eruere.iii. Construction of 3 classroom/HMs office and store at St. Eugene Primary School,

Sobe.iv. Construction of 3 classrooms at Ekweran Primary School (Camp).v. Perimeter fencing/parking lot of Evbiobe Central Market, Sabongidda-Ora.vi. Perimeter fencing of Sobe Market.vii. Perimeter fencing of Obe Primary School, Sabongidda-Ora.viii. Construction of 3 classroom/HM’s office at Orueren Primary School, OzaIla.ix. Construction of creche at Secretariat (Council compound).x. Construction of 3 classroom/HM’s office at Evbiobe Central School, Sabongidda-

Oraxi. Supply/installation of Transformers in the L.G.A.xii. Supply/installation of 300KVA Transformer at Sobe.xiii. Supply/installation of 300KVA Transformer at Ozallaxiv. Construction of Two Borehole of 5,000 litres overhead tank, each with struc-

tural stand at Council premises, Sabongidda-Ora.xv. Supply of Toyota Camry 2013 Modelxvi. Supply of Toyota Corolla 2013 Modelxvii. Supply of Toyota Corolla 4x4 by l Hluxxviii. Construction/supply of padded tables and chairs for H/M’s offices in newly

constructed primary schools.xix. Perimeter fencing of Oruen Primary School, Ozallaxx. Supply/installation of intercom in the Secretariatxxi. Construction/Supply of 2-seater desks/chairs in St. Stephen Primary School,

Sobe.xxii. Construction of 2-seater desks/chairs in luleha Primary School, Avbiosi.xxiii. Construction/Supply of 2-seater desks/chairs in Obe Primary School,

Sabongidda-Oraxxiv. Construction of 2-seater desks/chairs at Ulenboje Primary School, Okpuje.xxv. Construction/Supply of 2-seater desks/chairs at Umehi Central School, Uzebba.xxvi. Construction/Supply of 2-seater desks/chairs at Uben Primary School,

Uhonmora.xxvii. Construction/Supply of 2-seater desks/chairs at Olegama primary School,

Uzebba.xxviii. Completion o Shopping Mall, Uzebbaxxix. Construction of parking garage, Sabongidda-Ora Market.xxx. Construction/Supply of 5000 No 2-seater desks/chairs for primary Schools in

Local Government Area.xxxi. Construction of Abattoir at Sabongidda-Ora.

2. The tender is to be accompanied with:i. Evidence of current business registration with Owan West Local

Government as a contractor in the appropriate category.ii. Tax clearance certificate for the immediate past three years.iii. Current bank guarantee of credit worthiness.iv. Evidence of job previously executed with the Local Government

or other government agenciesv. Evidence of registration with Corporate Affairs Commission.vi. Evidence of Personal Income Tax clearance certificate of the

Director of the company.vii Evidence of payment of non-refundable tender fee of N50,000.

3. Documents showing the drawing and specifications of the above listedproject are available for inspection between 8am to 4pm Monday- Friday inthe office of the Director of Works, Lands and Survey, Owan West LocalGovernment, Sabongidda-Ora

4. Tender should be addressed and submitted in a sealed envelop and marked“CONFIDENTIAL” at the top left hand corner of the envelop and addressed to:

THE CHAIRMANOWAN WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENTSABONGIDDA-ORAEDO STATETo reach him not later than Two (2) weeks from the date of this publication.

5. Owan West Local Government is not bound to accept the lowest of anytender, nor is it bound to give reasons for rejection of any tender.

OWAN WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENTSABONGIDDA-ORA

EDO STATE OF NIGERIA

INVITATION TO TENDER

Signed:EDWARD EHIZOJIE

Secretary:Owan West Local Government,

Sabongidda-Ora.

CHANGE OF NAMEEKHOGUE – I,formerly known andaddressed as MissEkhogue MercyImuetinyan now wish tobe known and addressedas Mrs. OkonkwoMercy Imuetinyan. Allformer documents remainvalid. Concernedauthorities and the gen-eral public should pleasetake note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OKHUAROBO – I, for-merly known and ad-dressed as MissIzehiuwa Okhuarobonow wish to be knownand addressed as Barr(Mrs.) IzehiuwaOsadayi. All formerdocuments remain valid.Concerned authoritiesand the general publicshould please take note.

CHANGE OF NAMEEYENIYAN – I, formerlyknown and addressed asMiss Eyeniyan OmawumiSylvia now wish to beknown and addressed asMrs. Omawumi SylviaAghanenu. All formerdocuments remain valid.Concerned authorities,National Youth ServiceCorps (NYSC) and thegeneral public shouldplease take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

EDWARD – I, Formerlyknown and addressed asMiss Hannah Oshua Ed-ward now wish to beknown and addressed asMrs. Hannah OshuaEzewele. All formerdocuments remain valid.Concerned authorities,NYSC and the generalpublic should please takenote.

CHANGE OF NAME

OSAZEE – I, formerlycalled Miss OsazeeAmen Joy now wish tobe called and addressedas Mrs. Joy AmenJames. All former docu-ments remain valid.University of Benin,Benin City, NYSC, otherconcerned authoritiesand the general publictake note.

RECONCILIATIONOF NAME

I, Agbonghese OsalumhenseAugustine wish to bring forthe information of the generalpubic that I am the same per-son as Agbonghese Osa Au-gustine, Agbonghese Augus-tine, AgbongheseOsalumhense as appeared inmy various documents. Itshould be known thereforethat I am properly known andcalled AgbongheseOsalumhense Augustine.All former documents remainvalid. Concerned authoritiesand Rapid Response Agency(RRA) should please takenote.

RECONCILIATIONOF NAME

I, Ighorowho Joel Believewish to bring for the infor-mation of the general pub-lic that I am the same per-son as Joel BelieveEdirwhea. It should beknown henceforth that Iam now known and ad-dressed as IghorowhoJoel Believe. All formerdocuments remain valid.Concerned authorities andFirst Bank Plc shouldplease take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

AMAH – I, formerlyknown as Miss BlessingNgozi Amah now wishto be known, called andaddressed as Mrs.Blessing Ngozi Ugbor.All former documentsremain valid. NYSCand the general publicshould please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OSEGHALE – I,formerly known and calledMiss Esther Oseghale nowwish to be known, calledand addressed as MrsEsther Egbodo. Allformer documents remainvalid. Edo State WasteManagement Board,Ministry of Environmentand the general publicshould please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

JOSEPH – I, formerlyknown as Miss Edith Jo-seph now wish to beknown, called and ad-dressed as Mrs. EdithAkhator. All former docu-ments remain valid. EdoState Waste ManagementBoard, Ministry of Envi-ronment and the generalpublic should please takenote.

International Compiled byOKHUELEIGBE FAITH

Pakistan: Musharraf ToFace Treason Trial ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s

prime minister said yesterdaythat the government plans to putthe military ruler who oustedhim in a coup over a decade agoon trial for treason, setting up apossible clash with thecountry’s powerful army.

But the government stoppedshort of declaring officially thatit was filing charges againstPervez Musharraf, saying itwould first consult with otherpolitical parties.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifspoke in parliament as theSupreme Court held a hearingon a possible treason caseagainst Musharraf. The formermilitary ruler can only be triedfor treason if the federalgovernment presses chargesagainst him.

Sharif said the governmentagrees with the SupremeCourt’s decision that Musharrafcommitted treason under Article6 of the constitution when hedeclared a state of emergency in2007 and suspended theconstitution.

“The prime minister is underoath to protect, preserve anddefend the constitution and it isimplicit in his oath that hisgovernment ensures thatpersons guilty of acts underArticle 6 are brought to justice,”Sharif said in parliament.

The premier was reading froma statement that was submittedto the Supreme Court byAttorney General Munir Malikyesterday. The statement did notmention Musharraf’s ouster ofSharif in a coup in 1999 whenhe was serving as army chief,perhaps because the move wasretroactively approved by theSupreme Court and parliamentat the time.

“Musharraf has to answer forall his deeds in court,” Sharifsaid in a separate part of thespeech.

Musharraf would be the firstmilitary ruler tried for treasonin a country that hasexperienced three militarycoups in its nearly 66-yearhistory.

Sharif said the governmentwould consult with otherpolitical parties on bringingMusharraf to trial, leaving openthe possibility that it could stillchoose to abandon the case if itfaced opposition.

“The federal government willproceed in accordance with thelaw and also take politicalforces into confidence througha consultative process so thatthe collective will and wisdomof the people of Pakistan is dulyreflected in further process inthis behalf.”

Senior lawmakers from the twomain opposition parties, thePakistan People’s Party andPakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, saidthey supported the government’splan to try Musharraf for treason.

“If we are going to strengthendemocracy in this country andestablish democratic norms, theonly way is to follow theconstitution and abide by thelaw,” said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmaker Shah MahmoodQureshi.

Musharraf, who is currentlyunder house arrest in connectionwith a separate case, could facethe death penalty or life in prisonif he is convicted of treason. Butsome analysts doubt the army,which is considered the country’smost powerful institution, wouldallow that to happen and couldintervene to prevent it. Musharraf

has maintained his innocence.Musharraf returned to Pakistan

in March after years in self-imposed exile, with the hope ofrunning in the national electionthat was held in May. But he wasdisqualified from participating inthe vote because of his actionswhile in power and has spentmost of his time battling legalcases. The government has barredhim from leaving the countrywhile the cases are in progress.

2 6 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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International

Conditions For TalibanTalks Not Met Yet - Kerry

Lebanon Clashes RageOvernight, 12 Soldiers Dead

Czech President May AppointTechnocrat As PM

Compiled ByFAITH OKHUELEIGBE

Man Arrested Over BritishFamily Murder In French Alps

NEW DELHI - Secretaryof State John Kerry saidyesterday that conditions fortalks with the Taliban inAfghanistan had not been metyet, after a spat over a newTaliban office in Qatarthreatened to derail peacenegotiations.

Kerry was speaking at ajoint press conference withthe Indian foreign minister inNew Delhi.

The United States and

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (R), on his first visit to India as secretary, poseswith Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid for photographers at Hyderabad House inNew Delhi.

Medics transport an injured Lebanese soldier, after clashes between followers of aradical Sunni cleric Sheik Ahmad al-Assir and Shiite gunmen, in the southern port city ofSidon, Lebanon,

PRAGUE - Czech PresidentMilos Zeman confirmedyesterday he would announcethe name of a new primeminister today and gave stronghints he would opt for atechnocrat rather than a politicalnominee, a move that may sparkan early election.

Petr Necas resigned a weekago following bribery andillegal spying charges againsthis closest aide. As head of stateZeman, a leftist, has the soleright to appoint a new primeminister.

The ruling centre-rightcoalition has proposed forminga new cabinet. But Zeman saidon Sunday he was consideringa technocrat cabinet instead tomake good on his pre-electionpledges to fight the centre-rightadministration.

Yesterday, Zeman gavefurther indications that hewould take that path. Asked ifan expert government shouldinclude various representativesfrom a platform for dialoguebetween employers and tradeunions, he said:

“Under the constitution, theprime minister chooses hiscolleagues, and I am convincedthat an expert governmentshould directly or indirectlyinclude both sides of the socialspectrum. What form this willtake will depend on the newprime minister.”

Zeman declined to commenton media speculation thatformer Social Democrat financeminister Jiri Rusnok was acandidate.

LONDON - Police inBritain have arrested a man onsuspicion of conspiracy tomurder a British family ofIraqi origin who were killedin a high-profile murder insouthern France last year.

“The 54-year-old man wasdetained at an address inChessington, Surrey at around7:30am and is currently inpolice custody where he willbe interviewed,” police said in

BEIRUT — Lebanese armyunits battling followers of ahard-line Sunni Muslim clericclosed in yesterday on themosque complex where theywere holed up in a southerncoastal city, the national newsagency said. It said a total of 12soldiers had been killed sincefighting erupted a day earlier.

The clashes in Sidon,Lebanon’s third-largest citysome 40 kilometers (25 miles)south of Beirut, is the latest boutof violence in Lebanon linkedto the conflict in neighboring

Asked whether an expertcabinet should raise theminimum wage, a topic ofdiscussion with the unionsyesterday, he said: “A cabinet ofexperts, however long itsmandate is...can resolve thequestion of the minimumwage.”

The main political parties,including the opposition centre-left Social Democrats who leadopinion polls, have made clearthey will not back in a vote ofconfidence a cabinet forcedupon them by Zeman, whichraises the prospect of an earlyelection.

An election would be calledif 120 out of the 200 lowerhouse deputies supporteddissolving parliament.

The Social Democrats and thefar-left Communists havealready supported the plan aswell as a small opposition party,Public Affairs. The conservativeTOP09, a member of the rulingcoalition, has said it would addits votes to push for an electionif Zeman appointed hispreferred candidate.

“I understand from thestatements made ... so far thatthere is a big chance to reachan agreement with TOP09 onhaving an early election,”Social Democrat officialJeronym Tejc said.

An early election could beheld in September, ahead of theregular vote planned for May2014.

A cabinet appointed by

Zeman could govern until theelection - early or regular - in acaretaker capacity, even if itfails to win a vote of confidence.

The new cabinet will have toprepare the budget for next year,which must be submitted toparliament by the end ofSeptember. It may also have asay in an ongoing process topick the winner of a tender tobuild a $10 billion-$15 billionnuclear power plant at Temelin,in the south of the country.

In the scandal that toppledNecas, police have chargedeight people including the primeminister’s closest aide JanaNagyova. Some are accused ofbribery and some with illegalspying on people includingNecas’s wife.

Syria.It is the bloodiest yet

involving the army — at leastthree of those killed are officers.The Lebanese media hasdepicted the clashes as a test forthe state in containing armedgroups that have taken up thecause of the warring sides inSyria, whose sectarian makeupmirrors that of its smallerneighbor.

The fighting between troopsand armed supporters of SheikhAhmad al-Assir hastransformed the city, which hadbeen largely spared the violenceplaguing border areas nearSyria, into a combat zone.

The National News Agencysaid the clashes also left fiftywounded. The report said it wasnot clear how many gunmenwere killed or wounded in theclashes, nor whether there werecivilian casualties. Local mediasaid several gunmen on al-Assir’s side had also died, butdid not give specifics.

Machine-gun fire and rocket-propelled grenade explosionscaused panic among residentsof Sidon. Residents reportedpower and water outage.

The city streets appearedlargely deserted yesterday, andlocal media reported manyresidents were asking forevacuation from the area of thefighting, a heavily populatedneighborhood in the city. The

news agency said a governmentbuilding was hit. The localmunicipality said that the cityis “a war zone,” appealing fora cease-fire to evacuate thecivilians and wounded in thearea.

Many people living on upperfloors came down or fled tosafer areas, while others wereseen running away fromfighting areas carrying children.Others remained locked up intheir homes or shops, fearinggetting caught in the crossfire.Gray smoke billowed over partsof the city.

The clashes erupted Sundayin the predominantly Sunni cityafter troops arrested a followerof al-Assir. The army sayssupporters of the cleric openedfire without provocation on anarmy checkpoint.

It tied the attack to the war inneighboring Syria and said itwill hit back at attempts to sowstrife with “an iron fist.” Al-Assir is a virulent critic of thepowerful Shiite militantHezbollah group, which alongwith its allies dominatesLebanon’s government. Hesupports rebels fighting to oustSyria’s President Bashar Assad.

A few Hezbollah supportersin the city were briefly drawninto the fight Sunday, firing onal-Assir’s supporters. At leastone was killed, according to hisrelatives in the city who spoke

anonymously out of concernsfor their security.

But the group appeared to bestaying largely out of theongoing clashes. Last week, al-Assir supporters fought withpro-Hezbollah gunmen, leavingtwo killed.

Early yesterday, al-Assirappealed to his supportersthrough his Twitter account inother parts of Lebanon to riseto his help, threatening to widenthe scale of clashes.

The tweets did not give aclear statement on how thebattle began. It came after aseries of incidents pitting thecleric’s followers against othergroups in the town, includingHezbollah supporters and thearmy.

Fighting also broke out inparts of Ein el-Hilweh, ateeming Palestinian refugeecamp near Sidon, where al-Assir has supporters. Islamistfactions inside the camp lobbedmortars at military checkpointsaround the camp. Tension alsospread to the north in Tripoli,Lebanon’s second largest city.Masked gunmen roamed thecity center, firing in the air andforcing shops and businesses toshut down in solidarity with al-Assir. Dozens of gunmen alsoset fire to tires, blocking roads.The city’s main streets wereemptying out. There was nounusual military or securitydeployment.

The army announced lateSunday additional forcedeployments around Beirut.

Sectarian clashes in Lebanontied to the Syrian conflict haveintensified in recent weeks,especially after Hezbollah sentfighters to support Assad’sforces. Most of the rebelsfighting to topple Assad arefrom Syria’s Sunni majority,while the President BasharAssad belongs to the Alawitesect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam.

In Syria, activists reportedfighting Monday betweenSyrian troops and rebels in thenorthern province of Aleppo aswell as districts on the edge ofthe Syrian capital and itssuburbs.

Taliban insurgents areexploring peace talks in afresh effort to endAfghanistan’s 12-year-oldwar, helped behind the scenesby the support of neighboringPakistan’s powerful military.

India, which jockeys forinfluence with arch rivalPakistan in Afghanistan, lastweek warned that anyreconciliation should notconfer legitimacy oninsurgent groups.

a statement. There were nofurther details of the suspect.

Husband and wife Saad andIkbal Al-Hilli, also from thecounty of Surrey, southwest ofLondon, were killed inSeptember 2012, along withIkbal’s mother, Suhaila al-Allaf, prompting a jointmurder investigation betweenBritish and French authorities.

A French cyclist, Sylvain

Mollier, was also found deadnear the scene.

The killings happened on aremote mountain road nearthe French town of Annecy,close to the Swiss and Italianborders.

The pair’s four-year olddaughter survived the attack,spending several hourscowered among the bodies ofher dead parents andgrandmother.

2 7 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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Opinion

Between Skin BleachingAnd Cancer AFTER carefully washing

her face, legs and arms, shevigorously rub cream over herbody. She is meticulous andmakes sure she covers herentire face. She is bleachingher skin. She believes fairerskin could be her ticket to abetter life. So she spends hermeager saving on cheap blackmarket concoctions thatpromise to lighten herpigment.

This has been a dailyroutine for the past 15 years.Now she says her lighter skinmakes her feel more beautifuland confident.

Of recent, the number offairer people have rapidlyincreased in our society. Thishas made one to wonder if allof a sudden the citizens noweat good foods, do exercises,and drink lot of clean wateramongst others. On a closerlook, one would see theseladies and gentle men withdifferent patches of colourboth on their faces and skin.Some appear to be fair ontheir faces and dark on theirhands and other body parts.

The menance of skinbleaching has reached analarming in rate in our society.Wikipedia says bleaching,popularly refered to as skinwhitening skin lightening is apractice of using chemicalsubstances in an attempt tolighten skin tone or provide aneven skin complexion bylessening the concentration ofmelanin. Several chemicalshave been shown to beeffective in skin whiteningwhile some have proved to betoxic or have questionablesafety profile.

Gradually, skin bleachingis taking over Africa and theease at which skin bleachingproducts can be obtained hasmade it worse. The stigmaattached to skin bleachingwhich usually prevent othersfrom engaging in the act hasdied off –and today, youcannot even tell if a person isbleaching or not as most optfor untraceable moderncreams/pills.

To Femi Kuti no matterwhat they call it “skin toningis the same thing as skinbleaching”. Many Nigeriancelebrities who are engaged inthe illicit act and many otherNigerians out there are tryingto avoid societal criticisms bycalling their sort of skinbleaching skin toning!

I have heard people say, Idon’t bleach, I just tone myskin. I have seen people buythe so-called toning creamand they think it is cool. Youknow what, the application of

anything/cream to your skinto change its colour ortransform your skin from theoriginal state to a new state(no matter how little thechange will be) is skinbleaching.

Only recently, the WorldHealth Organisation (WHO)confirmed that 77% ofNigerian women usebleaching cosmetics ormaterials, the world’s highestpercentage. The figurecompares with 59% in Togo,and 27% in Senegal.

The temptation to lightenup the skin colour keepsincreasing amongst youngladies and women and eventhe male folks too. While onthe surface it looksfashionable and trendy but,Only if they know the healthimplication of bleaching, eventhe most obsessed of themwould not consider alteringthe tone of their color one bit.

Let me explain here againthat bleaching is a process.When a person is ‘black’, it isbecause there is melanin in thebody that is produced and itgives the person its colour. Sowhen you apply the cream toyour skin or in the form ofinjection or tablet, it simplycuts off the production ofmelanin, so the ‘blackness’ tothe skin is not suppliedanymore and it begins to pale.But then around the knees,toes, ankles, fingers theindividual soon notice rings ofdifferent shades of black andpale.

Naturally, the individualthinks he has not appliedenough and he or she istempted to apply more creamto the toes and fingers so thatthe degree of pales it exhibitswill be uniform with what isobtain in the face region, butthat’s where experts say thedanger is.

Most bleaching cream aremade up of eitherhydroquinone or mercurywhich either way are cancercausing substances. So youaccumulate so much amountof mercury on your skin,which will react with ultra-violet radiation from the sun,greatly increasing the risk ofskin cancer and increasing therate of aging. At this point Imust mention that melanin iswhat God has put in our skins,knowing the intensity of theheat of the sun in this side ofthe Sahara. By using any

bleaching process to cut off itssupply, the skins protectionagainst the sun is voluntarilywithdrawn, and it’s not likeyou won’t go out again so asnot to meet the sun.

But then, when usage isprolonged the health risks areeven worse. When thoseproducts are used for a longtime, it accumulates in theskin exposing the user to a

high risk of kidney failure,liver failure or even worsemercury poisoning.

This problem seems to bepeculiar to Africa, but then,what drives that hideousdesire to completely changeor slightly alter one’s colourtype? What makes a woman

want to sleep one night as ablack woman and wants wakeup the next morning a fair orwhite woman? Well manythings. Investigationsrevealed that inferioritycomplex is chief amongstthem.

Just a psychoanalystsargue, the predominant desireor drive in humans is the drummajor instinct the desire tostand out, to be desired,respected and be important.No wonder people can giveanything, procure anything ordo anything to feed a

repressed ego. Somehow due to the

colonial nature of our past, theinferiority complex mentalityhas been imprinted in ourmentality so deep that somehow we will find ourselvesentangled in the mealstrom itoften churns up (of course we

are always too quick todismiss the possibility so wecatch ourselves time and timeagain battling with a selfinflicted ideology that tells usdeep within that the next girlin white skin is better than weare no matter who we may be.But the truth is if we are proudof our colour we would not tryto change it.

Some others argue thatalthough they don’t approveof outright color change, butbleaching helps in enhancingand improving their skincondition provided they don’taver do it. Well if the creamyou are using is the one youbought from a market orsupermarket, you must alsoremember that cancer does

not understand EnglishLanguage.

Many engage is skinbleaching to look more funkyso that their boyfriends/girlfriends and husbands willappreciate them more. Sometoo bleach to be like thecelebrities they see on MTV

base, channel O and the restTV channels.

The average African andNigerian in particular is nevertired of being the spinelessfollow, follow we havebecome. So we try to shed orhide our personality tobecome a clueless duplicate ofsome other persons just to feelgood. They have broughttattooing and we copied, theybrought low waist and wecopied, weavons and humanhairs and we are buying, theybrought aids and untoldmillions are dying, onlyheaven knows what next theywill bring tomorrow.

To get a naturally lighterskin, experts recommendlemon remedy amongstothers, buy a few lemons,alive oil and same sugar fromthe market. Make sure yousqueeze the lemon juice andolive oil. Put sugar last. Thenrub it on your skin in a circularmotion you can rub it in yourface, hands, arms, and yourlegs.

After, let it absorb in yourskin for 5 to 10 minutes forbest result. Then fake a quickshower or just use a kitchentissue with water on it. Forextra whitening after finishingput another juice of lemon andrub it in your skin. This time,do not put water. Just let thelemon juice absorb and dry inyour skin. Repeat this 2 timesevery week (but if you wantfairer skin in less time thenadvise use 2 times a day or 3for best results and do not goout in the sun without a longsleeve or an umbrella.

National Agency for FoodDrug Administration andControl (NAFDAC) shouldembark on an enlightenmentcampaign to sensitize thepopulace on the dangers ofskin bleaching which hasbecome a menace in oursociety. Campaigns should betaken to market place,

higher institutions andmotor parks.

There is the urgent need tocurb this trend so as to saveguard the health of ourcitizens. Toning bleaching, ingeneral is neither healthy noradvisable. If you must do it doit professionally with theguidance of a dermatologist.

“The average African and Nigerian in particularis never tired of being the spineless follow, followwe have become. So we try to shed or hide ourpersonality to become a clueless duplicate ofsome other persons just to feel good.”

By MICHAEL EDEKO

2 8 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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Lionel Messi Pays 10mEuros In Back Taxes

Guardiola Ready ForBayern Pressure

Ramos Talks Up Isco Signing

Spain Sweating On FabregasFitness

Milan Reject Sevilla Bid For Montolivo

Pep Guardiola

of Riccardo Montolivo.The midfielder has only

spent a year at the clubafter he arrived fromFiorentina in the summerof 2012 and is currentlypart of Italy’s impressiveConfederations Cupsquad.

Fichajes.net havereported that Sevilla have

SERGIO Ramos haswelcomed Real Madrid’s interestin Isco, as the Malaga forwardmoves closer to completing aswitch to the Estadio SantiagoBernabeu.

Reports in Spain suggest that aconcerted campaign by theBernabeu outfit has persuaded theyoungster to choose their offer,rather than reunite with formerLos Boquerones coach ManuelPellegrini at Manchester City.

Los Blancos representativesmet again with Malaga executiveVicente Casado late last week,while Isco’s Spain Under-21team-mate Alvaro Morata alsokept the pressure on as bothstarred at the Under-21 EuropeanChampionship this month.

The final transfer should beworth in the region of +30million, however, some financialdetails have yet to be ironed outand Real Madrid Castilla’s RussiaUnder-21 international DenisCheryshev could spend nextseason on loan at Malaga as partof the arrangement.

The La Rosaleda club had beenkeen on including Morata or JoseCallejon in the deal, but Madrid

BARCELONA striker Lionel Messi, who is underinvestigation in Spain for tax fraud allegations, paidEuros10 million ($13.1 million) to the Spanish taxauthorities to correct tax returns for 2010 and 2011,according to Spanish media reports.

PEP Guardiola has said he isready for the next chapter of hiscareer as he prepares to deal withthe pressure of managing BayernMunich.

Guardiola was unveiled asBayern’s new boss in his firstpress conference yesterday

as he replaced Jupp Heynckesat the Allianz Arena.

Heynckes led Bayern to ahistoric Treble last season as theyclinched the Bundesliga,Champions League and DFB-Pokal.

CESC Fabregas is a doubtfor Spain’s ConfederationsCup semi-final with Italy inFortaleza due to a muscleproblem.

Fabregas started Sunday’s3-0 group win over Nigeria,hitting the post in the firsthalf, but leaving the pitch on54 minutes having earliercome to the sideline to talk tohis team’s medical staff.

It was first thought themidfielder had sufferednausea due to theoppressively hot and humidconditions inside the EstadioCastelao, but the Spanish FAtweeted an update after thegame suggesting a moreserious issue.

“Cesc was substituted in aprecaution due to muscleproblems,” it said.“Tomorrow [Monday] Dr.Celada will carry out a newexamination.”

Speaking after the match,coach Vicente del Bosquesaid that the move had been aprecaution, as Fabregashimself had been wary ofdoing more serious damage.

“He was taken off in a

President Florentino Perez wasnot prepared to release eitherplayer.

Ramos told radio show AlPrimer Toque after Spain’s 3-0

Confederations Cup win overNigeria on Sunday night that hisfellow Andalucian was a greatplayer who would be a goodaddition at the Bernabeu.

precautionary measure,” DelBosque told Marca. “Now thedoctors will give their word.It does not seem anythingimportant, but in case it mighthave become more serious heasked for the change.”

Manchester City’s DavidSilva replaced Cesc onSunday, and looks the mostlikely replacement against theItalians should the Barcelonaman not recover in time.Bayern Munich’s JaviMartinez is another option ifDel Bosque prefers to stiffenhis midfield against theAzzurri, who will be out forrevenge having lost 4-0 toSpain in the Euro 2012 final.

The conditions in Fortalezaappeared to play a role in aless than sparkling Spanishperformance, where theNigerians caused regularproblems to the Spanishdefence, especially during theopening 45 minutes.Fabregas’ blaugrana team-mate Sergio Busquetsreportedly vomited before thegame but subsequently gotthrough the 90 minutes, whilecentre-back Sergio Ramosalso reportedly felt the effectsof the conditions.

The post is Guardiola’s firstsince he left Barcelona - wherehe won a number of trophies - in2012, and the Spaniard is eagerlyanticipating what lies ahead.

He said in German: “I amhappy to get this opportunity.Bayern is a big club. The greatplayers and the history of the clubhave convinced me to come here

“I am ready. My time atBarcelona was wonderful, but Iwas searching for a newchallenge. I am ready to give mybest.

“I have to live with thepressure. I know that in big clubsthere is always big pressure. Itake over a team that has playedextraordinary last season. If youare coach at Bayern Munich youhave to win no matter what.”

Guardiola said he has had nocontact with Heynckes yet, but “itwould be good to hear hisopinion”.

He added: “I have huge respectfor his achievements not only inthe last year but throughout hiscareer. It is an honour to be hissuccessor.”

The news, reported by LaVanguardia newspaper andciting unnamed sources,comes one week afterMessi and his father, JorgeMessi, were summoned toa September 17 court datecomplaint alleging that theduo defrauded the Spanishtax office of +4 millionearned from image rightson Messi’s income taxreturns from the years2007, 2008 and 2009.

Messi in recent daysmade the 10 million Euros

payment to the Spanish taxauthorities for “imagerights income,” LaVanguardia reported onMonday, adding that asource told the newspaperMessi seeks a deal thatwould allow him to clarifywhat occurred over thethree years in question.

Messi has deniedwrongdoing. He hasreceived public backingfrom Barcelona clubpresident Sandro Roselland former president Joan

Laporta, who was in chargeduring the years of thealleged fraud.

The 25-year-old Messi iswidely considered the bestplayer of his generationand one of the best inhistory after winning anunprecedented four straightFIFA World Player of theYear awards.

Messi, who is rated byForbes as the world’s 10thhighest-paid athlete,reportedly earned $41.3million to June this year;with $20.3 million comingfrom his club salary and$21 million inendorsements.

State prosecutor Raquel

Amado alleges that from2006-09 Messi “obtainedsignificant revenue derivedfrom the transfer to thirdparties of his image rights,income which should havebeen taxed.”

Messi is not the firstathlete to be investigated inSpain for taxes.

Last year former Portugalstar Luis Figo was forcedto pay +2.45 million inincome tax pertaining toimage rights from 1997-99while playing forBarcelona. In 2009, formertop-ranked women’s playerArantxa Sanchez-Vicariohad to pay millions in backtaxes.

made an official offer forthe 28-year-old as theylook to bolster theirsquad.

However, it is said thatthe Rossoneri turneddown the Spanish giantsas Montolivo is expectedto skipper the side nextseason followingMassimo Ambrosini’sdeparture from Milan.

MILAN havereportedly turned down a

20mEuros offer made bySevilla for the signature

Ricardo Montolivo

Lionel Messi

2 9 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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Confed Cup: Spain Wary Of VengefulItaly

Buffon EnjoyingAttacking

Azzurri

Errani In ShockFirst Round Loss

Sara Errani

S/Korea Named FormerSkipper National Coach

Real To AppointAncelotti Today

DortmundDeny

GundoganExit Talk

GOALKEEPER GianluigiBuffon believes Italy’s leakingbackline is due to their ‘newattacking mentality’ - one whichhe enjoys seeing.

Last year’s European runners-up have let in eight goals in theirthree Confederations Cup gamesso far, with the latest resultcoming in a 4-2 defeat to Brazil.

Buffon has admitted that hewas disappointed in some of thegoals he let in, but has likenedthis current crop of Azzurriplayers to the 1978 World Cupsquad.

“Fred’s goal? Well we were atthe 90th minute chasing anequaliser, so you can getsomething wrong!” laughed thegoalkeeper.

“I’m more annoyed by theNeymar free-kick, as I shouldn’thave conceded it on ‘my’ post.If you really want to know, Ididn’t even see the ball leave hisfoot, as there were at least sevenor eight players in front of me.

WIDESPREAD reports inSpain claim Carlo Ancelottiwill be confirmed as RealMadrid’s new manager onTuesday.

Ancelotti has alreadyannounced his departure fromParis Saint-Germain havingwon the Ligue 1 title last seasonand is believed to be meetinglawyers on Monday to formallyrelease him from his contract atParc des Princes.

The former Chelsea andMilan boss will then be free totake over as Jose Mourinho’sreplacement at the Bernabeu.

BORUSSIA Dortmund CEOAki Watzke has quashed rumoursin the Spanish press that IlkayGundogan could be on his way toReal Madrid this summer.

At the weekend, Marca reportedthat Madrid were back in the huntfor Gundogan, 22. According tothe newspaper, the midfielder’srepresentatives met with officialsfrom the Spanish side last Fridayto discuss a potential summertransfer.

Los Blancos had been linkedwith the Germany international,who is under contract atDortmund until 2015, earlier thisyear.

Despite such speculation,however, Gundogan stated justlast week that he would definitelybe playing for the Bundesliga clubin 2014, and that talks regardinga new contract were about to getunder way.

SOUTH Korea namedformer skipper Hong Myung-Bo as the new coach of thenational side, tasked withpreparing the out-of-form teamfor next year’s World Cup inBrazil.

The Korea FootballAssociation said Hong, 44, hadbeen given a two-year contractto replace Choi Kang-Hee,who quit as manager last weekafter South Korea scrapedthrough to qualify for an eighthstraight World Cup.

As a player, Hongrepresented the national teamat four consecutive World Cupfinals from 1990 and becamea national hero as captain of theside that reached the semi-finals of the 2002 competition

in South Korea.He faces a tough challenge

in injecting fresh confidenceand motivation into thecurrent national team thatonly managed to qualify forBrazil on goal difference.

In their last four qualifyinggames, they were beatentwice by Iran, drew withLebanon and were lucky toscrape through with wins overQatar and Uzbekistan.

Hong began his coachingcareer as an assistant on thesenior national team from2005 to 2007.

He coached South Korea tobronze at the 2010Guangzhou Asian Games andled an under-23 team to abronze medal at the LondonOlympics last year. It was thecountry’s first Olympicfootball medal.

SPAIN boss Vicente DelBosque insists Italy will befocused on revenge whenthe two sides meet in theirConfederations Cup semi-final.

La Roja booked their

place in the knockout stageswith a convincing 3-0 winover Nigeria on Sunday,which saw them emergeundefeated from Group B.

A Jordi Alba brace and

Fernando Torres’ goal sentNigeria home from thetournament and set up arematch of Spain’s 4-0 routof Italy in the Euro 2012final.

Del Bosque will take nochances in his approach tothe match and expects theAzzurri to be a changed side12 months on from theembarrassing defeat inUkraine.

“Italy will be a verydifficult opponent,” DelBosque said. “It is going tobe a re-match for them. Wewant to get to the finalthough.”

Alba netted his first goalsof the tournament andheeded his manager ’scaution heading into thesemis.

“The match against Italy is

sure to be different from thefinal of the Euros,” he said.

Defender Gerard Piquehas urged his team-matesnot to think about apotential final againstBrazil as Spain attempt toavoid a repeat of their semi-final exit at the 2009Confederations Cup.

“Let’s not talk about apotential final, it happenedto us at the lastConfederations Cup in2009 and we lost to theUnited States in the semi-finals,” Pique said. “Let’stalk about the game thatcomes next against Italy.

“It’s a totally differentmatch, the tournament isdifferent, the heat isdifferent and they come in[to the game] after a nicetournament so far. Theywon the first two gamesand lost to Brazil but theyplayed hard at all times.”

SARA Errani became only the second top-five seedto lose in the first round of the Wimbledon women’ssingles in the last 12 years when suffering a shock 3-62-6 defeat to Monica Puig.

Wimbledon Open

Errani is not a naturalgrass-court player andstruggled against herPuerto Rican opponent,who was making herWimbledon debut.

The fifth seed wilted in

the face of 38 winners fromthe world number 65 andPuig took her sixth matchpoint when claiming aforehand winner.

Puig allowed herself anemotional celebration after

defeating the 2012 FrenchOpen runner-up.

Twelfth seed AnaIvanovic fared better onCourt Two as she saw offFrance’s Virginie Razzano7-6(1) 6-0.

First-round results:Monica Puig (Puerto

Rico) beat 5-Sara Errani(Italy) 6-3 6-2

12-Ana Ivanovic

(Serbia) beat VirginieRazzano (France) 7-6(1) 6-0

27-Lucie Safarova (CzechRepublic) beat Lauren Davis(U.S.) 6-4 6-0

Silvia Soler Espinosa(Spain) beat Misaki Doi(Japan) 1-6 6-4 6-1

Flavia Pennetta (Italy) beatElena Baltacha (Britain) 6-46-1

Karin Knapp (Italy) beatLucie Hradecka (CzechRepublic) 6-3 6-4

Lesia Tsurenko (Ukraine)beat Lara ArruabarrenaVecino (Spain) 6-1 6-3.

Vincente Del Bosque Carlo Ancelotti

Gianluigi Buffon

3 0 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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KeshiBlames Injuries, PoorFinishing

BalotelliRuled Out OfSpain Clash

FIFA Confed Cup Fall-Out

3SC StarsSurvive

Cup Scare

Azubuike Egwuekwe (left) challenge Spain’s Andres Iniesta in Confederation Cup game at Fortaleza onSunday.I’ll Never

DisrespectGhana Coach

- Muntari

Dolphins Want500,000 Euros

For Ajagun

Ndidi Only Flying EaglesChange

NIGERIA’S coach Stephen Keshi was left to rue thelegacy of untimely injuries and wayward shooting afterhis side’s Confederations Cup challenge came to an endin a 3-0 loss to Spain.

The African championsneeded to win Sunday’sgame to stand any chance ofsqueezing into the semi-finals, but Spain took thehonours through a pair ofgoals from left-back JordiAlba and a Fernando Torresheader.

Prior to the defeat, Nigeriahad beaten Tahiti 6-1 beforelosing 2-1 to Uruguay — alaw of diminishing returnsin keeping with a pre-tournament run in whichthey had scored only sixtimes in six matches.

Keshi’s side played

attractive football at times atFortaleza’s Estadio Castelaoand created a clutch of clear-cut chances, only for theirforwards’ composure todesert them at the crucialmoment.

Brown Ideye andsubstitute MuhammadGambo both spurned goodopportunities in the secondhalf, and Keshi said thatNigeria’s failure to convertsuch chances had cost themdearly.

“There’s so much anxietyin front of the goal-linewhen we get there,” he said.

“The good thing is wecreate chances, but we’renot finishing them. That’ssomething we need to workon. Hopefully it’s going tocome quickly.”

Keshi said his players hadbecome “unprofessional”after Torres doubled Spain’slead shortly after coming onas a 60th-minute substitute,

but he admitted that theinjuries that have afflictedhis squad were beyond hiscontrol.

Nigeria lost Victor Moses,Emmanuel Emenike andOgenyi Onazi prior to thetournament, while NnamdiOduamadi was injuredagainst Uruguay and centre-back Kenneth Omeruo hadto go off with an injuryagainst Spain.

“You look at the otherteams in the tournament,and they have a complete XIof first-team players here,”he said.

“I lost four, five keyplayers in the team at the lastminute. And today I lost oneof my key players at centre-half, which is damaging. Butit’s football. You have to livewith it.”

Spain advance to a semi-final with Italy in the samearena on Thursday, butKeshi said he did not know

if the world champions hada stronger chance of successin the tournament thanGroup A winners Brazil.

“I cannot say if Spain isthe favourite or Brazil,” hesaid.

“Sometimes it’s not thebest team that wins thetournament. You have towait until the end of 90, 95minutes to see who wins.Today might turn out goodfor Italy, and tomorrow isnot.”

Despite theirConfederations Cupdisappointment, Nigeriaremain on course to returnto Brazil for next year’sWorld Cup.

The Super Eagles willmove into the third round ofAfrican qualifying if theyavoid defeat at home toMalawi in their nextcompetitive fixture onSeptember 6.

STRIKER Mario Balotelli hasbeen ruled out of Italy’sConfederations Cup semi-finalagainst Spain on Thursday witha thigh injury.

The 22-year-old AC Milanstriker, who has two goals to hisname at the tournament ofcontinental champions in Brazil,had been expected to lead Italy’sattack against Spain in Fortaleza.

“The examinations carried outthis afternoon (Sunday) inFortaleza on Mario Balotellishowed a grade-one tear in thequadriceps muscle of the left leg,”the Italian Football Federation(FIGC) said in a statement.

“The player will not beavailable for the semi-finalagainst Spain on Thursday, June27 and in the coming days hiscondition will be evaluated for thematch on the 30th (either the finalor third-place play-off).”

NIGERIA premier leagueside Dolphins have placed a500,000 Euros price tag onFlying Eagles skipperAbduljaleel Ajagun who hasshone at the U20 World Cup.

Ajagun, who could play asplaymaker or attackingmidfielder, scored twice inthe Flying Eagles 3-2 loss toPortugal in Kayseri, Turkey,on Friday.

Several sources confirm toMTNFootball.com that thePort Harcourt club will onlytransfer the midfielder for500,000 Euros.

“Right now I have a clubwho are willing to pay for theplayer, but Dolphins havedemanded for 500,000Euros,” a Europe-based agentinformed MTNFootball.com

Another agent who claimedto have some serious offersfor the player in Turkey wasalso told he would need topay 500,000 Euros to get hisman.

The 20-year-old Ajagun hasgenerated a lot of interestespecially in Turkey and localclub Kayserispor, where theflying Eagles train, arereported to be keen to sign theformer U17 international.

Dolphins are believed tohave sold another FlyingEagles star Chidi Osuchukwufor about 350,000 Euros toPortuguese club SportingBraga recently.

The transfer fee will be paidin tranches and Osuchukwuhas signed a four-yearcontract pending a medical.

U17 ace Wilfred Ndidi willbe Nigeria’s only changefrom the team who lost 3-2to Portugal in their openinggame at the U20 World Cup.

The highly-rated Ndidi willreplace Chizoba Amaefule inthe heart of the back four andplay alongside IkechukwuOkorie.

Ndidi is athletic, a smartand intelligent defender who

has made the smoothtransition from U17 to U20within weeks.

Otherwise, coach JohnObuh has kept faith with thestarting XI against Portugal.

Samuel Okani will be ingoal and upfront ChidiOsuchukwu will play fromthe left side of attack with

Olympiacos new signingMichael Olaitan keeping hisplace in midfield.

Flying Eagles vs CubaSamuel Okani – Shehu

Abdullahi, Kingsley Madu,Wilfred Ndidi, IkechukwuOkorie – Ovbokha Agboyi,Michael Olaitan, AbduljaleelAjagun – KayodeOlanrewaju, Umar Aminu,Chidi Osuchukwu

SHOOTING Stars labouredto see off determined lowerleague side Gateway FC 3-2 ina 2013 Federation Cup round of16 game.

In the explosive game playedat the Akure Township Stadiumon Sunday, 3SC broke thedeadlock with a first minutestrike by Ighodalor Osagona.

The Abeokuta lads did notrelent as Kingsley Ediwoequalised seven minutes later,before Gbolahan Salami restored3SC lead in the 24th minute fromthe penalty spot.

Kingsley Ediwo completedhis brace with another equaliserin the 34th minute, before TonyEdjomariegwe scored thewinner for the premier leagueoutfit in the 67th minute.

GHANA midfielder SulleyMuntari says him questioninghead coach Kwesi Appiah overhis substitution in last week’s2014 World Cup qualifier againstLesotho does not connotedisrespect.

The AC Milan ace angrilyapproached Appiah and askedwhy he had to be replaced in thesecond half by EmmanuelAgyemang-Badu.

Muntari stormed off into thedressing room and later rejoinedthem to celebrate the 2-0 winwhich sent Ghana to the top ofthe table.

He has criticized by fans for hisunprofessional act but the 28-year-old watered down theseverity of his

“I asked him why he changedme and he told me it was a tacticalreason which I did understandhim,” Muntari said.

“If you want to win or havesomething good you have torespect everyone and that’s whatis happening in the national team.

“Coach Appiah is a cool personand I will never disrespect him.”

Sulley Muntari Abduljaleel Ajagun

3 1 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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Ferdinand Inspired By GiggsSuccess

Arsenal InHiguain

Talks

Taiwo Ogunjobi

Samir Nasri

Zaha ’llTake TimeTo Settle

At Utd- Freedman

City Cool CavaniInterest

Liverpool In Control Of Suarez

ConfedCup: OgunjobiDeclaresVictoryForPrime

NasriGiven AChance

THE former Secretary General of the Nigeria FootballAssociation and Chairman Osun State Football Association,Taiwo Ogunjobi is optimistic that his team, Prime FC ofOshogbo will beat their counterparts, Bayelsa United intoday’s Round of 64 Confederation Cup match at the SamuelOgbemudia Stadium in Benin.

By NICHOLAS EBOIGBE

Ogunjobi disclosed thathis team won bronze in the lastyear’s Confederation Cupcompetition and that they wantto forge ahead by winning thetrophy this time.

“This is ConfederationCup and not the League game.I know that our opponents,Bayelsa United is a firstdivision or Premier Leagueclubside. We will not have

problem playing againstthem. We want to win today’smatch.

He said the team havewhat it takes to prosecutematches and win.

“We are not afraid of anyopponent. We will take thematches as they come. Wepray the officiating will be fairsince it is a neutral ground.

The Osun FA boss washighly elated that the match

would be played in a goodfield and thanked GovernorAdams Oshiomhole forproviding the astro turf.

“I used to read about thegood works of GovernorOshiomhole in the media.When I got to the mainbowlof the stadium, I saw the lurchgreen synthetic field or turfand of course, the Ring roadand some others, I discoveredthat he has done a lot for Edopeople.” -

MANCHESTER Uniteddefender Rio Ferdinand sayssharing a dressing room withRyan Giggs makes himhungry for success.

Ferdinand will soon embarkon his 12th season with theclub, during which time hehas six Premier League titles,a Champions League and twoLeague Cups to look back on.

His August 9 testimonialagainst Sevilla will be the first

game in charge for DavidMoyes at Old Trafford andFerdinand hopes United canmark the Scot’s arrival inManchester with first-seasonsuccess.

With Paul Scholes havingretired, Ferdinand only trailsGiggs in the medal stakes,and that motivates him to

secure further success whenthe Wales legend finally hangsup his boots.

“I’m not happy with what Ihave won, not when I can lookaround at people in thechanging room and know theyhave got more than me,”Ferdinand said.

“You always aim for thepeople above. That is what Idid the day I walked throughthe door. I looked around andsaw people with three, four,five titles and thought ‘I wantto have that’.

“You set yourself targets allthe time. I am never going tosit in that changing room andthink ‘I am happy with what Ihave done’.”

Ferdinand hopes the factthat Moyes has so manymultiple title-winners in hissquad will help make histransition from life on theverge of European footballwith Everton much easier.

“The new manager is goingto want to put his own imprinton the team. That is what youwould expect as players. Weare open-minded to that,” headded.

“But hopefully the fact he

has got people in there whoknow how to get the job donewill give him a little bit oftime.

“The team can be on auto-pilot, with the manager justtinkering with things to makesure it is done in the right way.If we need to change tactics,that is when the managercomes into his own, withwhatever training methods hewants to use.

“In terms of going out on aSaturday and getting gameswon, a lot of us have beendoing it for years. That is whywe have been here for so longand won so many things.”

FORMER Crystal Palacemanager Dougie Freedmansays Wilfried Zaha will be asuccess at Manchester Unitedafter he settles in at the club.

Zaha was signed fromCrystal Palace by United inJanuary, before being loanedback to Selhurst Park for theremainder of the season andhelping the Eagles gainpromotion via the play-offs.

MANCHESTER City’sinterest in Napoli strikerEdinson Cavani seems to havecooled after the Partenopeipresident Aurelio de Laurentiisclaimed the English clubcannot afford him.

City were said to have madetwo offers to Napoli for theservices of the Uruguayan, onewhich included a cash plusEdin Dzeko exchange.However, De Laurentiis hastold reporters that City will notbuy Cavani unless they ‘sellfirst’.

“City said they can only

afford Cavani if they sell first,”De Laurentiis was quotedtelling The Sun.

“I could accept a part-exchange deal if the playersproposed are attached with afigure that represents the actualvalue of the player.

“Edin Dzeko for example, isno longer what he once was, hewas not a starter last season.”

Dzeko reportedly turned downa move to the San Paolo late lastweek.

LIVERPOOL coachBrendan Rodgers says theclub are completely incontrol of Luis Saurez’ssituation and that they willdecide his future in whetheror not he will be sold.

The volatile striker’sfuture has come under acloud of uncertainty afterhe frequently expressed hisdesire to leave the PremierLeague following yetanother controversial yearat the club.

Liverpool have, however,

declared they are in controlof the situation and that hewill not be sold.

“I will always listen toplayers. I always workclosely with players andalways listen to their pointof view but the biggestword is with the club,”Rodgers added.

“We’re in a situationwhere we’ve got a playerwho we don’t want to lose.We’re trying to buildsomething here and he’s avery important part of that

and because of the type ofplayer he is, he will alwaysgive his best.”

His eight-gamesuspension the previousseason for racial abuse hasmeant that stellarperformances forLiverpool have been offsetby a barrage of criticism inthe media for his regularmisbehaviour.

“Sometimes interviewsget put out there andhighlighted but parts ofLuis’s interviews have

been about how much heloves Liverpool, but ofcourse that doesn’t gethighlighted,” Rodgersadded.

“It’s something thathappens. I’m quite relaxedabout it.

“What I know is that thesupport Luis has had fromthe people here inLiverpool, the city and thefootball club, has beenphenomenal and I know hefeels that and respectsthat.”

GONZALO Higuain’sfather says talks are stillongoing over his sons’prospective move to Arsenalfrom Real Madrid.

Jorge Higuain told The Sunthat his son had receivedinteresting offers from bothArsenal and Juventus.

“Nothing has yet beensigned but I assure you thenegotiations between theclubs are at an advancedstage,” Jorge said.

“We won’t agree a contractbefore the clubs reach atransfer deal. I’m sureArsenal made a big offer, andJuventus.”

Real has valued the 26-year-old Argentine midfielderat £22million.

Arsenal have struggledwithout an impact player thispast season following thedeparture of Robin van Persieto Manchester United.

Arsene Wenger is hopingthe successful signing ofHiguain will help revitalisehis attack that has sufferedsince Van Persie’s departure.

Higuain joined Real fromArgentine side River Plate in2006 and has scored 48 goalsin 80 appearances for theSpanish club over the lastthree seasons.

NEW coach ManuelPellegrini is expected to giveManchester City’s troubledwinger Samir Nasri a chance toprove himself next season.

The Frenchman joined Cityfrom Arsenal in 2011 for£25million, but has not found hisbest form since the move,resulting in previous managerRoberto Mancini admitting hefinds Nasri’s inconsistencyfrustrating.

The Daily Mail is nowreporting that Nasri, whosefuture at the Etihad has been castin doubt, is expected to behanded one more chance by theclub.

It is being reported that despitePellegrini having brought inJesus Navas to the club, he iswilling to wait and see whetheror not Nasri can improve hisform before shipping him outelsewhere.

3 2 �� TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013

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Much Ado About Airport Road

Printed and published by Bendel Newspapers Company Limited, 24, Airport Road, P.M.B. 1334 Benin City. Telephone; Lagos: 01 4930 929, Benin: 052 257492, 257531Editor: Barr. Solomon Imohiosen (07030699646), Marketing Manager (08023457566), Advertisement Manager (08023808856) Lagos Offic e: 3/4 Amode Close, Kudirat Abiola Way,

By Olushonsun Bus Stop, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos. Abuja Office: Floor 1, Edo House, 75 Ralph Shodeinde Street, Central Business Dis trict, Abuja. Tel/Fax: 09-5237631.All correspondence to: 24 Airport Road, Benin City. E-mail: [email protected] (ISSN 0331-2674)

ON assumption ofoffice in 2008, Edostate governor,

Comrade Adams AliyuOshiomhole, left no one indoubt that the AirportRoad, a major gateway toBenin City, the statecapital, was one of hisprime projects sitting atopothers in terms of priority.Among other things, hewas emphatic that its olddilapidated ambience did

not speak well of a statein need of investmentsthat will help overhaul itseconomy. In truth, theroad leading to theairport, beginning fromthe historic Ring Road,now Kings Square, was insuch a bad state that asthe first real image of astate in quest of realeconomic development,merely beholding it couldinduce would-beinvestors into doubtingthe seriousness of thestate government’savowed commitment toits investment drive. Inother words, if one was toseriously consider theimportance of firstimpression, there was nodoubt that on seeing thestate of the road, would-be investors would passan on the spot vote of noconfidence on the stategovernment’s investmentdrive.

The road was importantfor another reason. BeninCity, the state capital was,before the coming of theO s h i o m h o l eadministration, a sight tobehold whenever itrained. The situation wasso bad that an averagerainfall would, for hourson end, bring themetropolis to a standstilldue largely to the fact thatit had insufficientdrainage system toevacuate the deluge intothe Ogba and Ikpobarivers, its major exitroutes. For these obviousreasons, theadministration decided toleave nothing to chance inits determination toreconstruct the road bymaking it functionallyrelevant both as anerosion evacuation routeand a welcoming sight.Hence there was no needfor the services of a rocketscientist to conceive it asa dual carriage way,complete with hugedrainages, walkways andother niceties that wouldmake it serve thoserelevant purposes. Butopponents of theO s h i o m h o l e

administration, mostlymembers of the oppositionPeoples Democratic Party,PDP, went to town withloads of rumor, concoctedto undermine not just therelevance of the project, butalso to create theimpression that thegovernor had nothing butcontempt for the culture,tradition and indeed, theentire Bini people.

First, they went to town

with the grossly debilitatingand unfounded tale that inreconstructing the road inthe manner the stategovernment envisaged, a

reserved for outcasts, theymanaged to hold on to theirclaim that state governmentofficials deliberately overinflated the contract bydesigning it as a conduit forsucking life out of statefunds. To give credence totheir claims, they attemptedto force the people intoaccepting their position byharping the delay in itscompletion, causedprimarily by the

that the project was a whiteelephant project. Sopervasive was the claimthat it became a campaignissue during the 2011governorship election intheir governorshipcandidate, General (Rtd)Charles Airhiavbere,declared unequivocally thathis first task in office asgovernor, assuming hewon the contest, would beto probe the Oshiomholeadministration in respect ofthe contract. Though theelection has been won andlost, they have not given upon their desire to continuespreading pervasive anddeliberate rumours meantto misinform the generalpublic about the roadcontract.

Thus far, the position ofthe state government is tolive with an inherent

every other voice hasacquiesced to whateverposition it is canvassing.The result is that like a lietold too many times, theopposition false tales tookthe semblance of truth.Obviously, the only optionfor setting the recordsstraight is to put its detailsin public space.

The road in question isan open secret 7.1kilometre six lane asphalticdual carriage way runningfrom the historic KingsSquare to Ogba river. Forreasons of its strategicimportance both as animpressive gateway to thestate capital and intrinsicpart of the Storm Waterproject built to successfullyevacuate erosion frommany some parts of themetropolis,it was designedto incorporate many

instance, besides the 18kilometre1, 1.8 diametreunderground primary drain,some of its other featuresinclude a 20 kilometrewalkways, 15 kilometres ofservice ducts, 252 units ofdual arm street light polesto cover the entire length ofthe road and an 83 metrelong 1.2 x 1.2 rectangularsecondary undergrounddrainage. Also included are6 kilometres of drains onassociated roads, 14.2kilometres of secondarydrains, trees, hedges,grasses and fiveboreholes.

Beyond the major roaditself, the state governmentalso included the realitythat without correcting thestate of adjoining link roadsand streets, the aim ofusing it to evacuate waterout of the city centre wouldnever be achieved. For thatimportant reason, itdesigned the contract tocover 27 connecting linkroads and or streets,covering 3197.32 metres.The affected roads/streets,also there for all to see,include Adesogba Road,Ezote, Reservation Road,Akenzua Road, BoundaryRoad, Airport entrance,Ihama, Oni Street (OffIhama), Giwa Amu Road,Airport exit, AdesuwaStreet, Ijebuor Street andBenoni Hospital Roadsjunction. Others areIghiwiyisi/Eweka Way,Owamarovia Street,Esogban Avenue, OkoCentral Road, Oko PrisonRoad, Omoregbie Way,Irhirihi/ADP Junction,Princess Ukponwan Street,Ogiesoba Street,Aimuomwosa, Vegetable

reality has failed to makeany sense to members ofthe opposition in the stateand so, have remained sofixated in their refusal tobe objective in theirassessment of theO s h i o m h o l ea d m i n i s t r a t i o n ’ sperformance recordbecause it opened thepeople’s eyes to theiryears of robbery. Thus,while every discerningobserver has manyreasons to sing praises tothe efforts of theadministration forchanging the look of thecity, opposition memberscontinued to see blank.Little wonder then thatwhile the people of thestate marvel, in particular,at the transformation theAirport Road and otherroads have gone through,members of theopposition see whiteelephant projects. It doesnot matter to them thatpeople are wonderingwhere they found themoral courage to questionempirically verifiableperformances when rotwas the best word todescribe everything theystood for during thedecade they were incharge.

For those still in doubt,a visit to Benin City will behelpful. In particular, it willbe useful to those who liveoutside the city and havenot been around in recenttimes. At least, it will helpput the lie on thepervasive tales bandiedby members of theopposition on just abouteverything that is going onin the state.

unwarranted demand bythe first contractor for anupward review of agreedcontract cost as a proof

accommodated the realityin which the voice of alargely misinformed groupcan sometimes get so loudit gives the impression that

large chunk of the wallbordering the palace ofOmo N’Oba N’Edo, UkuAkpolokpolor, ObaErediauwa, the reveredBenin monarch, wouldneedlessly, be hackeddown. Bent on whipping upethnic sentiment againstthe government snd inparticular, the governor,they concluded that theaction, deliberatelydesigned by the him,amounted to a taboo nosane true born of the landshould condone it iscontemptuous of the Beninculture, tradition and race.In other words, they weredesperate to also createthe impressionOshiomhole had no regardfor the same people thatmade it possible for him tobecome governor in thefirst instance. But for theintervention of themonarch, who gave his go-ahead, having receivedassurances that no suchdemolition plan was in theoffing, the reconstructionwould probably havebecome a still birth.

Not fazed by their failureto whip up ethnicsentiments, they cooked upmore caustic tales. Thougheach was dismissed with ameasure of ignominy

Comrade Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State

By OKHAREDIA IHIMEKPENBy ERNEST OMOARELOJIEdemocratic norm in whichevery voice, no matter howdiscordant it is, must beallowed to be heard. Indoing so, it equally buti n a d v e r t e n t l y

necessary features,including extensiveprimary, secondaryunderground drains andother niceties. For

Market, Golf CourseRoad, Airport RoadAlignment and ObaMarket Road.

Unfortunately, this

“Thus far, the position of the state government is to live withan inherent democratic norm in which every voice, no matterhow discordant it is, must be allowed to be heard. In doing so,it equally but inadvertently accommodated the reality in whichthe voice of a largely misinformed group can sometimes getso loud it gives the impression that every other voice hasacquiesced to whatever position it is canvassing.”